A martyred priest with ties to Oklahoma is being honored in a special way.

An Oklahoma priest moved one step closer to sainthood. On Saturday, the Roman Catholic Church beatified Father Stanley Rother. It was only the second beatification ever held in the United States. The mass marks the final step before he is declared a saint.

 Few religious pilgrimages lead down a dusty, unpaved Oklahoma road past grazing horses, metal barns and towering wind turbines in the distance. 

The Roman Catholic Church's beatification of an Oklahoma priest killed during a mission in Guatemala more than three decades ago will be broadcast live on the Global Catholic Network. 

The Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City says the remains of Father Stanley Rother were exhumed from Holy Trinity Cemetery in Okarche, Okla., May 10 as part of the next steps toward the priest being named a saint. 

The Vatican announced Oklahoma Priest Father Stanely Rother will be one step closer to becoming a saint this September. The announcement was made on Monday. If he becomes a Saint, he'll be the first US-born Martyr turned Saint.

There are more than 10,000 saints in the Catholic Church.