A group of 800 Christians who were killed by Muslim Ottoman fighters in the late 15th century came a step closer to sainthood on Friday when the Vatican announced they were martyrs.They were residents of the southern Italy port of Otranto which had been stormed by Muslim militias on August 11, 1480 after a siege by Ottoman admiral Gedik Ahmed Pasha.
Ahmed Pasha ordered all males older than 15 to be assembled giving them a choice between converting to Islam or being beheaded. All are believed to have refused to give up their Christian faith.
The Vatican said in a statement that the Congregation for the Causes of Saints recognised the martyrdom of "Antonio Primaldo and his secular companions (...) killed because of hatred of their faith on August 23, 1480 at Otranto".
Those massacred had already been made blessed, the first step to sainthood.
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