In the evening they will hold evening prayer in the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Bonsecours in Rouen, followed by a time of prayer at the tomb of Fr. Hamel.
Fr. Hamel's sister, Roseline, spoke about her brother April 22 during testimony on modern-day martyrs during a special liturgy said by Pope Francis in the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Rome's Tiber Island.
Speaking to the congregation, Roseline said that in his old age Fr. Hamel had been fragile, but "he was also strong. Strong in his faith in Christ, strong in his love for the Gospel and for people, whoever it was, and – I am certain – also for his killers."
His death, she said, "is in line with the life of a priest, which was one of a life given: a life offered to the Lord, when he said 'yes' at the moment of his ordination, a life of service to the Gospel, a life given for the church and her people, above all the poorest.
She pointed to the "paradox" that while alive her brother never wanted to be "at the center," but that after his death, "has given a testimony for the entire world, the greatness of which we cannot measure."
After her brother died, Roseline said the reaction of the community was strong. Rather than wanting revenge, there was a desire for "love and forgiveness," she said, explaining that even Muslims who wanted to show solidarity with Christians came to visit the parish for Sunday Masses in a show of support.
Despite her loss, Roseline said "it's a great comfort to see how many new encounters, how much solidarity, how much love have been generated by the witness of Jacques," and prayed that his sacrifice would "bring fruits, so that the men and women of our time can find the path to living together in peace."
Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.