DNA identification of relics of Blessed Stephen Sándor beatified by Pope Francis 2013

Abstract

István Sándor was a monk and deeply impressed by the spirituality of the Salesian Society. On 24 July 1946 he made his perpetual votes as a Salesian brother. In 1950 the Communist Party banned the operation of religious orders including the Salesian Order. In 1951 the Internal Security Corps was informed about “illegal” activity of István Sándor. He was arrested on 28 July 1952 and sentenced to death by hanging. He was beatified by Pope Francis in 2013. On 12 November 2018 the grave was opened and bones extracted belonging to six individuals. First, forensic anthropological studies were done. For DNA analysis, teeth and right femurs were selected. DNA extraction method was developed by us. Y-chromosomal and autosomal STR profiles were determined from teeth and bones and reference samples. Based on age and height estimates, the bones that could not belong to István Sándor were excluded. The Blessed István Sándor does not have any living relatives. Envelopes and postage stamps were chosen as reference samples from the years 1942 and 1950. We have received full DNA profiles from teeth, but partial profiles from the envelope and the stamp. Genetic investigations performed support the hypothesis that the bone remains, which were exhumed from the mass grave including relics of putative István Sándor, really belong to the Blessed István Sándor who was executed on 08 June 1953 by the Communist Regime.