Sources: cmglobal.org, hdlcecuador.com, Vincentian Encyclopedia
Our martyrs confessed Jesus Christ before they died and forgave the persecutors with an uncompromising adherence to the Catholic faith. They were shot, burnt or quartered for being followers of Jesus Christ and continuers of his mission. Let us pray for their intercession, courage and strength to be strong witnesses to the Faith in our world.
Here they are by name. Each one is a link to their picture and biography. (Many of the articles are in English but some are only in Spanish and have not been translated yet.)
Download this list as a Word Document
First group: Beatified on October 13, 2013 in Tarragona (42 souls)
14 from the Congregation of the Mission, 27 Daughters of Charity, and one Daughter of Mary.
From the Congregation of the Mission
Fr. Fortunato Velasco Tobar
Fr. Leoncio Pérez Nebreda
Bro. Luis Aguirre Bilbao
Fr. Antonio Carmaniú y Mercader
Fr. Ireneo Rodríguez González
Fr. Gregorio Cermeño Barceló
Fr. Vicente Vilumbrales Fuente
Bro. Narciso Pascual Pascual
Fr. Tomás Pallarés Ibáñez
Bro. Salustiano González Crespo
Fr. Amado García Sánchez
Fr. Andrés Avelino Gutiérrez Moral
Fr. Ricardo Atanes Castro
Fr. Pelayo José Granado Prieto.
From the Daughters of Charity:
Sister Melchora Adoración Cortés Bueno
Sister María Severina Díaz-Pardo Gauna
Sister María Dolores Barroso Villaseñor
Sister Estefanía Saldaña Mayoral
Sister Maria Asunción Mayoral Peña
Sister Dolores Úrsula Caro Martín
Sister Concepción Pérez Giral
Sister Andrea Calle González
Sister Modesta Moro Briz
Sister Pilar Isabel Sánchez Suárez
Sister Josefa Gironés Arteta
Sister Lorenza Díaz Bolaños
Sister Gaudencia Benavides Herrero
Sister Juana Pérez Abascal
Sister Ramona Cao Fernández
Sister Josefa Martínez Pérez
Sister Martina Vázquez Gordo
Sister Josefa Laborra Goyeneche
Sister Carmen Rodríguez Banazal
Sister María del Pilar Nalda Franco
Sister Estefanía Irisarri Irigaray
Sister Isidora Izquierdo García
Sister Joaquina Rey Aguirre
Sister Victoria Arregui Guinea
Sister Maria del Rosario Ciércoles y Gascón
Sister Micaela Hernán Martínez
Sister Maria Luisa Bermúdez Ruiz
Daughter of Mary:
Second group: Beatified: November 11, 2017 in Madrid. (60 souls)
Pope Francis beatified 60 Vincentian martyrs. There were 40 Vincentian missionaries (C.M.) (24 priests and 16 brothers), 2 Daughters of Charity, 13 lay people belonging to Vincentian associations such as the Vincentian Marian Youth, and 5 diocesan priests who were leaders or advisors for these associations. Here they are listed by location:
Martyrs of Vallecas
- José María Fernández Sánchez, C.M.
- Roque Guillén Garcés, C.M.
- Benito Paradela Novoa, C.M.
- Saturnino Tobar González, C.M.
- Agustín Nogal Tobar, C.M.
- Cristóbal González Carcedo, C.M.
- Cesáreo Elexgaray Otazua, C.M.
- Juan Núñez Orcajo, C.M.
Martyrs of Canillas
Martyrs of Madrid
- José Ibáñez Mayandía, C.M.
- Perfecto del Río Páramo, C.M.
- Estanislao Páramo Marcos, C.M.
- Hilario Barriocanal Quintana, C.M.
- Manuel Requejo Pérez, C.M.
- Eleuterio Castillo Gómez, C.M.
- Benjamín Ortega Aranguren, C.M.
- Maurilio Tobar González, C.M.
- Ponciano Nieto Asensio, C.M.
- Teodoro Gómez Cervero, C.M.
- Benito Quintano Díez, C.M.
- Isidro Alonso Peña, C.M.
- Justo Ramón Piedrafita, layman
- Agustín Fernández Vázquez, layman
- Felipe Basauri Altube, layman
Martyrs of Hortaleza
Martyr of Vicálvaro
Martyrs of Paracuellos
- Gil Belascoain Ilarragorri, C.M.
- Victoriano Reguero Velasco, C.M.
- Laureano Pérez Carrascal, C.M.
- Pedro Armendáriz Zabaleta, C.M.
- José García Pérez, C.M.
- Pedro Pascual García Martín, C.M.
- Joaquín Zubillaga Echarri, C.M.
- Francisco Morquillas Fermández , C.M.
- Miguel Aguado Camarillo, layman
Martyrs of Aravaca
Martyrs of Barcelona
- Vicente Queralt Lloret, C.M.
- Manuel Binimelis Cabré, C.M.
- Luis Berenguer Moratonas, C.M.
- Toribia Marticorena Sola, D.C.
- Dorinda Sotelo Rodríguez, D.C.
Martyrs of Figueras
Martyrs of Valencia
Martyr of Silla
Martyrs of Totana
- José Acosta Alemán, C.M.
- Juan José Martínez Romero, diocesan priest
- Pedro José Rodríguez Cabrera, diocesan priest
Martyrs of Cartagena
- Pedro Gambín Pérez, diocesan priest
- Isidro Juan Martínez, V.M.Y., layman
- Francisco García Balanza, V.M.Y., layman
- Modesto Allepuz Vera, V.M.Y., layman
- Enrique Pedro Gonzálbez Andreu, V.M.Y., layman
- José Ardil Lázaro, V.M.Y., layman
- Francisco Roselló Hernández, V.M.Y., layman
Martyr of Jumilla
- Cayetano García Martínez, diocesan priest, formator of the Children of Mary
Martyrs of Archena
- José Sánchez Medina, diocesan priest, formator of the Children of Mary
Reflection and testimony
[The persons who were beatified] are honored as the fruit of the social and political disturbances of the 1930’s but in no way should they be called “the martyrs of the civil war”. The civil war was the social/political context which resulted in the death of the majority of these individuals, but they are the victims, not of the civil war but of a religious persecution … two totally distinct concepts. They were killed in odium fidei, as a result of the hatred of the Catholic faith.
Here is one example of the events that were taking place, from the profile of one of the martyrs, Blessed Francisco Roselló Hernández, a layman who was President of the Children of Mary (today, the Vincentian Marian Youth):
On Monday, July 20, 1936, the Daughters of Charity were suddenly thrown out of the House of Mercy. Once Roselló found out, he managed to overtake the cars that were taking them under guard outside the town, say goodbye to Sister Francisca, and receive the last instructions for the congregants. After that he was subject to persecution, just as Mr. Pedro Gambín had been a few hours before.
They arrested him at his home on the 22nd and kept him incommunicado, probably at the Marist school, until October 7, when he was admitted to the San Antón prison.
They searched his home and found a medal of the Virgin of Charity, a scapular and sixteen “religious cards” and he himself had confirmed his active membership in the Association of Children of Mary… They described him as a “sectarian of religious organizations” and immediately submitted the case to the special judge of Murcia, the same one who a few days before had sentenced three members of the Association to death.
Here the dirty game began, because the special judge, who normally has a few hours to decide on the prisoner, took 6 months to issue his order… Francisco Roselló was killed without waiting for judicial action along with the congregant Isidro Juan Martínez.
– translated from the website of the Daughters of Charity of Ecuador
Thank You very much for this publication, I pray that I and my Brothers and Sisters Vincentians may have the same courage as required of us.
Thank You
You’re welcome, James. This information was scattered across different websites. It’s more convenient to have the whole list in one place!