Other Spanish martyrs of the 20th century

A view of Burgos, Spain. Image by santiago lopez-pastor on Flickr, CC-BY-ND 2.0, here

On October 13, 2013, in the Spanish city of Tarragona, the largest beatification in the history of Catholic Church took place – but since Bergoglio was never pope, it was invalid. Nevertheless, the persons beatified are indeed martyrs of the anti-Christian persecutions during the Spanish Civil War.

Two years ago, I already wrote two articles about men and women who were martyred in the civil war. Here I will briefly write about those who were “beatified” in Tarragona or elsewhere during Bergoglio’s “papacy”.

Emilia Fernández Rodríguez

Born: April 14, 1914 in Tíjola, Province of Almería, Andalusia

Died: January 25, 1939, Almería

“Beatified”: March 25, 2017

She was the second of three children born to Juan José Fernández and Pilar Rodríguez. The family made a living from weaving wicker baskets and Emilia learned the trade too.

In 1938, she married Juan Cortés Cortés, a distant cousin, and soon afterwards became pregnant. Later that year, her husband was about to be drafted and she helped him fake blindness with some kind of potion. The ruse was later revealed and they were both arrested. On July 9, Emilia was sentenced to six years.

In prison, she was at first terrified, but another woman of her age befriended her. She was called Lola and was a devout Catholic. She taught Emilia the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be. Emilia then prayed the rosary with other prisoners.

When the prison commander learned of this, he was determined to find out who taught Emilia the rosary. He promised to release her and her husband if she would tell him the person’s name. When she refused, she was thrown into solitary and her food rations were cut. Due to this, her health deteriorated constantly.

She gave birth in her cell on January 13 to a girl. After giving birth, she was transferred to a hospital until the 19th. She was in the hospital due to pregnancy complications. A few days later, she succumbed to a postpartum infection.

The artist Raúl Berzosa has painted a beautiful picture of this martyr, which can be seen here. (Of course, since she is not validly beatified, the halo should not be on the painting.)

Gregorio Díez Blanco

Born: December 24, 1899 in Nidáguila, Burgos province in Castilla y León

Died: February 15, 1937

“Beatified”: November 10, 2018

Camila Díez Blanco, his sister

Born: September 14, 1889 in Nidáguila, Burgos province in Castilla y León

Died: February 15, 1937

“Beatified”: November 10, 2018

Gregorio was a tram company worker in Barcelona. He was married and had four children. His wife died in 1930. Since he was left alone to care for the children, his unmarried sister decided to move in with him.

When the civil war broke out, they hid priests and religious several times in their house. On February 15, 1937, militiamen broke into their house and arrested them and two priests who were hiding in the house at the time. They were mistreated in the local “checa” and then murdered. Their bodies were dumped into a common grave.

Mariano Mullerat Soldevila

Born: March 24, 1897 in Santa Coloma de Queralt, Tarragona province, Catalonia

Died: August 13, 1936 in Arbeca, Lérida province, Catalonia

“Beatified”: March 23, 2019

Mariano’s mother died early. When he was thirteen, he started attending the Colegio San Pedro Apóstol, which was run by religious. In 1914, he began to study medicine at the University of Barcelona, and graduated in 1921.

In 1922, he married Dolores Sans Bové, and they had five children.

He practiced medicine in Arbeca, Catalonia. As a doctor, he exhorted his patients to “trust in God and invited them to receive the sacraments”. (source) He was also very active in his parish.

In 1924, he became the mayor of Arbeca and had this office until 1930. When the civil war broke out, he fled at first, but decided to return to be there for his patients. On August 13, 1936, he was arrested and brought with five others to a place a few kilometers from the village, where he was killed.

He forgave his murderers before dying, and died saying “Padre, en tus manos encomiendo mi espíritu” and “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”.

Ascensión de San José (Isabel) Sánchez Romero OP

Born: May 9, 1861 in Huéscar, Granada province, Andalusia

Died: February 17, 1937 in Huéscar, Granada province, Andalusia

“Beatified”: June 18, 2022

Ascensión de San José was a Spanish Dominican nun, who fell victim to the same vicious persecution at the start of the civil war.

When she was 17, she entered the Dominican monastery in Huéscar. She had been struggling with a rare disease since childhood, so she was not able to do hard work. “She served as an assistant to all the sisters when her illness permitted.” (source)

At the outbreak of the civil war, the town was at first under the control of the rebels, but government troops bombed the city and managed to conquer it. The nuns dispersed and hid in private homes.

However, Ascensión de San José was found and arrested. They threatened her with death if she would not utter blasphemies, but she kept repeating short prayers. The day after, she was thrown into a truck with other prisoners and taken to the cemetery. The militiamen then told her that they would spare the life of her cousin Florencio if she would say a blasphemy, but she kept refusing. She had to watch as they shot Florencio. Finally, they bashed her skull between two rocks.

Cartagena in Spain. Image by Esteban Palacios Blanco, CC-BY 2.0, here

Isidro Juan Martínez

Born: May 10, 1899 in Cartagena, Murcia region

Died: October 18, 1936 in the same place

“Beatified”: November 11, 2017

Isidro was a Spanish lawyer. He was a member and, for a long time, the vice-president of the “Asociación de Hijos de María de la Medalla Milagrosa” in Cartagena.

In 1924, he married Natividad Tamayo Manguero, with whom he had three children.

On August 1, 1936 he was arrested on the orders of the Committee of the Popular Front. When they burst into his home, he told his son: “Son, your father is not being brought away for being a thief, but for being honorable and for his beliefs”. The next day, he was brought to a prison, where he was kept without any trial or charges.

The militiamen offered to let him live if he would shout “¡Muera Cristo Rey!”, but he shouted “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” (Long live Christ the King!). He was shot.

Sebastián Llorens Telarroja

Born: December 2, 1909 in Tordera, Barcelona province, Catalonia

Died: July 30, 1936 in Blanes, Gerona province, Catalonia

“Beatified”: October 13, 2013

P. Jaume Puig Mirosa SF

Born: June 3, 1908 in Terrassa, Barcelona province, Catalonia

Died: July 30, 1936 in Blanes, Gerona province, Catalonia

“Beatified”: October 13, 2013

Sebastián Llorens Telarroja was a devout Catalonian farmer. He was a member of the Catholic Action. On afternoons, he would spend hours in front of the tabernacle.

On July 30, 1936, Father Jaume was called in for an interrogation with the local Committee, and Sebastián accompanied him. After some time, they were free to go, but the militiamen arrested them again when they were about to return home.

The militiamen took them out of the city and shot them. The bodies were left on the street for several hours before being taken to the local cemetery.

“Sebastián was martyred for his great devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary, which awakened in him such a strong love that he cared for others and forgot himself.” (link)

Resources

Emilia Fernández Rodríguez

Page on the website of the Diocese of Almería (Spanish, link)

Article on Aleteia.org (English, link)

Article on the Diccionario Biográfico de Almería site (Spanish, link)