Sixteen martyrs will soon be beatified in Granada. The soon-to-be Blesseds were killed out of hatred for their faith, during the persecution of the Spanish Civil War
Newsroom (November 30, 2021, Gaudium Press) The Spanish city of Granada will host the beatification of sixteen martyrs of the Civil War.
The ceremony will take place in the Cathedral of the Incarnation on February 26, 2022. The future Blesseds were persecuted and killed out of hatred for their faith during the Civil War (1936-1939).
The beatification process for Father Cayetano Giménez Martínez and his fifteen fellow martyrs began in 1999 and ended with the decree allowing beatification in 2019. But because of the pandemic, the ceremonies were suspended.
The beatification has the motto: “Your Grace is worth more than Life.” As explained by the archdiocese of Granada, the motto represents the forgiveness of the martyrs towards their murderers.
The story of these holy martyrs is described in the book by priest Santiago Hoces: “Cayetano Jiménez Martín y compañeros, mártires granadinos de 1936”. Of the 16 martyrs who will soon be beatified, fourteen were priests as well as a seminarian and a layman.
The seminarian Antonio Caba Pozo wrote a lot to his sister and his letters were used in his beatification process. Among the writings, the seminarian explains that his only desire in life was to be a saint and that (with martyrdom) he had achieved it.
With the sixteen new Blesseds, the number of Spanish martyrs during the Civil War will exceed 1915. But this is a provisional number since throughout the country there are ongoing causes. (FM)
Compiled by Sarah Gangl
