233 Spanish Martyrs


The 233 Spanish Martyrs, also referred to as The Martyrs of Valencia or
Jose Aparico Sanz and 232 Companions, were a group of martyrs from the Spanish Civil War, who were beatified in March 2001 by Pope John Paul II. This was the largest number of persons beatified at once up to that time. They originated from all parts of Spain but mostly served and died in the diocese of Valencia.

Background

The 233 martyrs were clergy, religious and lay persons of the diocese of Valencia who were executed during the Red Terror of the Spanish Civil War. Some 6,000 clergy and religious were executed in Spain during this period; of these over 2,000 have been proposed for canonization. They are regarded by the Roman Catholic Church as Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War.
The 233 martyrs were made up of 16 separate causes, mostly groups but also some individuals who have been proposed for canonization. The earliest cause was opened in 1952. Most causes were opened in the 1950s, though none were accepted by the CCS until 1990. The most recent cause was opened in 1995 and completed in five years. This was not the first group of Spanish martyrs beatified by John Paul II, though it was the largest up to that time.

Beatification liturgy

The beatification of the entire group was enacted at a solemn liturgy celebrated in Rome on 11 March 2001, presided over by Pope John Paul II.
In his homily he preached on the Transfiguration and pointed to the example of the martyr's sacrifice, and urged the church in Spain to be worthy of their example. He observed that they were men and women of all ages, and states and that they had been killed for professing their faith.
He pointed out that the martyrs had died forgiving their enemies, and expressed the hope that their example would help to remove the end of hatred and resentment still felt in Spain from those times.
John Paul II made special mention of Maria Teresa Ferragud, one of the lay companions from Valencia; an 83-year-old woman, she was executed along with her four daughters, all nuns in contemplative orders. He also made special mention of Francesco Castello Aleu, a 22 yr old layman, and German Gozalba, at age 23 just 2 months into the priesthood.
He also made reference to Consuela and Maria Dolores Aguiar-Mella, two lay companions of Maria Baldilou Bullit, and the first people from Uruguay to be beatified.

Controversy

The issue of the Spanish martyrs is controversial, not least because of the Spanish churches identification with the Nationalist cause during the civil war.
However John Paul pointed out, generally and in specifics, that those who died in these cases “were not involved in political or ideological struggles nor did they want to be concerned with them” and that “they died solely for religious motives”.

The 16 Causes

The 233 martyrs were advanced in 16 separate causes :

The 233 martyrs

Diocesan Clergy

  1. Matías Manuel Albert Ginés
  2. Joaquín Vilanova Camallonga
  3. Zósimo Izquierdo Gil
  4. Salvador Ferrandis Seguí
  5. Vicente Rubiols Castelló
  6. Antonio Silvestre Moya
  7. Salvador Estrugo Salves
  8. Félix Yuste Cava
  9. Carmelo Sastre Sastre
  10. Vicente María Izquierdo Alcón
  11. Francisco De Paula Ibáñez Ibáñez
  12. Fernando González Añon
  13. Ramón Martí Soriano
  14. Alfonso Sebastiá Viñals
  15. Francisco Sendra Ivars
  16. Diego Llorca Llopis
  17. José Toledo Pellicer
  18. José María Segura Penadés
  19. Pascual Penades Jornet
  20. Juan Ventura Solsona
  21. José García Mas
  22. Fernando García Sendra
  23. Vicente Pelufo Corts
  24. Germán Gozalbo Andreu
  25. Vicente Sicluna Hernández )
  26. Vicente Ballester Far
  27. Pascual Ferrer Botella
  28. José María Ferrándiz Hernández
  29. José Fenollosa Alcaina
  30. Elías Carbonell Molla
  31. Juan Carbonell Molla
  32. Enrique Morant Pellicer
  33. José Canet Giner
  34. José González Huguet
  35. Ramón Esteban Bou Pascual
  36. José Ruiz Bruixola
  37. Leonardo Olivera Buera
  38. Gonzalo Viñes Masip
  39. José Aparicio Sanz
  40. Enrique Juan Requena

Roman Catholic Laity

  1. Carlos López Vidal
  2. Rafael Alonso Gutiérrez
  3. Carlos Díaz Gandía
  4. María Climent Mateu
  5. Juan Bautista Faubel Cano
  6. Arturo Ros Montalt
  7. Pascual Torres Lloret
  8. Marino Blanes Giner
  9. Ismael Escrihuela Esteve
  10. María Dolores Aguiar-Mella Díaz
  11. Consuelo Aguiar-Mella Díaz
  12. Francisca Cualladó Baixauli
  13. Vicente Galbis Gironés
  14. Manuel Torró García
  15. Josefina Moscardó Montalvá
  16. María Purificación Vidal Pastor
  17. Sofía Ximénez Ximénez del Río
  18. José Ramón Ferragud Girbes
  19. Encarnación Gil Valls
  20. Amalia Abad Casasempere De Maestre
  21. María Jordá Botella
  22. Herminia Martínez Amigó De Martínez
  23. Crescencia Valls Espí
  24. Francesc de Paula Castelló Aleu
  25. Florencia Caerols Martínez
  26. Ana María Aranda Riera
  27. Társila Córdoba Belda De Girona
  28. María Teresa Ferragud Roig De Masiá
  29. Salvador Damián Enguix Garés
  30. María Del Carmen Viel Ferrando
  31. José Medes Ferrís
  32. Juan Gonga Martínez
  33. Luis Campos Górriz
  34. María Del Olvido Noguera Albelda
  35. Luisa María Frías Cañizares
  36. José María Zabal Blasco
  37. Pilar Villalonga Villalba
  38. Pablo Meléndez Gonzalo
  39. José María Corbin Ferrer
  40. José Perpiñá Nácher
  41. María Luisa Montesinos Orduña
  42. Carmen Marie Anne García Moyon

[[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (Capuchin Franciscans)]]

  1. José María Garrigues Hernández
  2. Modesto García Martí
  3. Enrique García Beltrán
  4. Luis Valls Matamales  
  5. Alejandro Más Ginester
  6. José Ample Alcaide  
  7. José Ferrer Adell
  8. José Bleda Grau  
  9. Julio Esteve Flors
  10. Santiago Mestre Iborra
  11. Mariano Climent Sanchis
  12. Pedro Salcedo Puchades

Capuchin [Poor Clare Nuns (Capuchinesses)">Capuchin Poor Clares">Capuchin [Poor Clare Nuns (Capuchinesses)]

  1. María Vicenta Masiá Ferragud
  2. María Joaquina Masiá Ferragud
  3. María Felicidad Masiá Ferragud
  4. Milagros Ortells Gimeno
  5. Isabel Calduch Rovira

Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans)">Order of Friars Minor">Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans)

  1. Pascual Fortuño Almela
  2. Plácido García Gilabert
  3. Salvador Mollar Ventura
  4. Alfredo Pellicer Muñoz

Order of [Friars Minor Conventual (Conventual Franciscans)">Order of Friars Minor Conventual">Order of [Friars Minor Conventual (Conventual Franciscans)]

  1. Modesto Vegas Vegas
  2. Dionisio Vicente Ramos
  3. Francisco Remón Játiva
  4. Federico López López
  5. Eugenio Remón Salvador
  6. Candido Rivera Rivera

Discalced Augustinian Nuns">Discalced Augustinians">Discalced Augustinian Nuns

  1. Josefa Ramona Masiá Ferragud

[[Dehonians|Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dehonians)]]

  1. Mariano García Méndez

Religious of Mary Immaculate (Claretian Missionary Sisters)">Religious of Mary Immaculate">Religious of Mary Immaculate (Claretian Missionary Sisters)

  1. María Cinta Asunción Giner Gomis

Order of the [Servants of Mary (Servites)">Servite Order">Order of the [Servants of Mary (Servites)]

  1. María Francisca Ricart Olmos

[Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly]

  1. Josefa Ruano García
  2. Dolores Puig Bonany

Sisters of the Pious Schools (Daughters of Mary - Escolapias)

  1. Maria Baldillou Bullit
  2. Pascuala Gallén Martí
  3. María Luisa Girón Romera
  4. Nazaria Gómez Lezaun
  5. Antonia Riba Mestres
  6. María De La Encarnación de la Yglesia de Varo

Capuchin Tertiary Fathers and Brothers of [Our Lady of Sorrows (Amigonians)">Amigonian Friars">Capuchin Tertiary Fathers and Brothers of [Our Lady of Sorrows (Amigonians)]

  1. José De Miguel Arahal
  2. Francisco Tomás Serer
  3. Agustín Hurtado Soler
  4. José María Sanchís Mompó
  5. Florentín Pérez Romero
  6. Urbano Gil Sáez              
  7. Vicente Cabanes Badenas
  8. Salvador Ferrer Cardet
  9. Manuel Ferrer Jordá
  10. Pablo Martínez Robles
  11. Timoteo Valero Pérez
  12. Salvador Chuliá Ferrandis
  13. Vicente Jaunzarás Gómez
  14. José María Llópez Mora
  15. Vicente Gay Zarzo
  16. Justo Lerma Martínez
  17. Manuel Legua Martí
  18. Crescencio García Pobo              
  19. José Llosá Balaguer

Capuchin Tertiary [Sisters of the Holy Family (Amigonians)">Amigonian Friars">Capuchin Tertiary [Sisters of the Holy Family (Amigonians)]

  1. Petra María Victoria Quintana Argos
  2. Manuela Justa Fernández Ibero
  3. María Fenollosa Alcaina

Society of Jesus (Jesuits)">Jesuits">Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

  1. Tomàs Sitjar Fortiá
  2. Constantino Carbonell Sempere
  3. Ramón Grimaltos Monllor
  4. Pere Gelabert Amer
  5. Josep Tarrats Comaposada
  6. Pau Bori Puig
  7. Dario Hernández Morató
  8. Vicente Sales Genovés
  9. Narcis Basté Basté
  10. Alfredo Simón Colomina
  11. Juan Bautista Ferreres Boluda

Order of Preachers (Dominicans)">Dominican Order">Order of Preachers (Dominicans)

  1. Antonio Manuel López Couceiro
  2. Lucio Martínez Mancebo
  3. Felicísimo Díez González
  4. Saturio Rey Robles
  5. Tirso Manrique Melero
  6. Gumersindo Soto Barros
  7. Lamberto María De Navascués De Juan
  8. José María Muro Sanmiguel
  9. Joaquín Prats Baltueña
  10. Francisco Calvo Burillo
  11. Luis Urbano Lanaspa
  12. Ramon Peiró Victori
  13. Francisco Monzón Romeo
  14. Constantino Fernández Álvarez
  15. Josep Maria Vidal Segú
  16. Rafael Pardo Molina
  17. Santiago Meseguer Burillo
  18. Jacinto Serrano López

Carmelite [Sisters of Charity “Vedruna”">Carmelite Sisters of Charity">Carmelite [Sisters of Charity “Vedruna”]

  1. Elvira Torrentallé Paraire
  2. Rosa Pedret Rull
  3. Maria Calaf Miracle
  4. María Desamparados Giner Sixta
  5. Francisca De Amézua Ibaibarriaga
  6. Teresa Chambó Palet
  7. Agueda Hernández Amorós
  8. María Dolores Vidal Cervera
  9. María De Las Nieves Crespo López
  10. Ascensión Lloret Marcos
  11. Purificación Ximénez Y Ximénez
  12. María Josefa Del Río Messa
  13. Niceta Plaja Xifra
  14. Paula Isla Alonso
  15. Antonia Gosens Sáez De Ibarra
  16. Daría Campillo Paniagua
  17. Erundina Colino Vega
  18. María Consuelo Cuñado González
  19. María Concepción Odriozola Zabalía
  20. Feliciana De Uribe Orbe
  21. Concepción Rodríguez Fernández
  22. Justa Maiza Goicoechea
  23. Clara Ezcurra Urrutia
  24. Cándida Cayuso González

Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers)">De La Salle Brothers">Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers)

  1. Andrés Zarraquino Herrero
  2. Álvaro Ibáñez Lázaro
  3. Pedro Lorente Vicente
  4. Julián Torrijo Sánchez
  5. Francisco Lahoz Moliner

[Salesians of Don Bosco]

  1. Xavier Bordas Piferrer
  2. Jaime Ortiz Alzueta
  3. Felipe Hernández Martínez
  4. Zacarías Abadía Buesa
  5. José Caselles Moncho
  6. Josep Castell Camps
  7. José Calasanz Marqués
  8. Sergio Cid Pazo
  9. Jaume Buch Canals
  10. Francisco Bandrés Sánchez
  11. Josep Batalla Parramon
  12. Josep Rabasa Betanachs
  13. Gil Rodicio Rodicio
  14. Juan Martorell Soria
  15. Miquel Domingo Cendra
  16. Josep Bonet Nadal
  17. Jaume Bonet Nadal
  18. Pedro Mesonero Rodríguez
  19. Fèlix Vivet Trabal
  20. Álvaro Sanjuán Canet
  21. Ángel Ramos Velázquez
  22. Eliseo García García
  23. José Otín Aquilué
  24. Antonio Martín Hernández
  25. Recaredo De Los Ríos Fabregat
  26. Julián Rodríguez Sánchez
  27. José Giménez López
  28. Agustín García Calvo
  29. Juli Junyer Padern

Salesian Cooperators">Salesians of Don Bosco">Salesian Cooperators

  1. Alexandre Planas Saurí

Daughters of [Mary, Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters)">Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco">Daughters of [Mary, Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters)]

  1. Carmen Moreno Benítez
  2. Amparo Carbonell Muñoz