Another 1,100 Christians persecuted during 70 years of communist rule became saints, making this by far the biggest mass canonisation ever held.
So far, the most troublesome region for the A.L.P. has been the north, where ethnic, political and tribal factions have long persecuted one another.
And who knows, maybe Gary Lineker, the global Cheese and Onion ambassador, and Branson, shy face of Virgin, are infinitely more persuasive than the hideously persecuted Christopher Jefferies, another name now engulfed by the A-list.
But there were cases, even after the fall of the regime, when women of another sexual orientation were persecuted, hunted and jailed.
At worst, a partner felt dominated, manipulated or even persecuted by another perceived as powerful, particularly if nobody in the practice dared to contradict him.
Another bird that is often persecuted: the super-smart crow.
Each year a British writer receives the award alongside another writer who has been persecuted for expressing his or her beliefs.
"The problem here is about land ownership and corruption," he said, before pointing out another example of how Muslims are being persecuted in the country.
"When you come right down to it, if you wait long enough, another war is going to happen, and another group of people is going to get persecuted".
Another Lautenberg measure gave refugee status to people from historically persecuted groups without requiring them to show that they had been singled out.
The TSSA rail union said: "[Passengers] should not now be expected to face another six years of even higher fares … they have been persecuted enough already".
