Buenaventura García Paredes, Miguel Léibar and 40 companions considered it gain and a glory to face death for love of Christ. When, in the years 1936–1939, civil war broke out in Spain, they were persecuted because of the faith and preferred to die rather than deny the bond of fidelity and unity with the Lord and with the Holy Catholic Church.
They died in various places in the Diocese of Madrid and in different circumstances; common to all of them was the generous offering of their lives for Christ. Of these, 38 belonged to the Order of Preachers — 21 from the Province of the Philippines, 13 from the Spanish Province and four from the Betic Province.
They are:
A) Members of the Order of Preachers
1. Buenaventura García Paredes
Priest. He was born on April 19, 1866, in Castañedo de Valdés, Asturias. He made profession in 1884 and was ordained a priest in 1891. He taught at the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila, was prior in various convents and Master General of the Order. He was noted for his ability as a writer and preacher. When the Civil War broke out, he was forced to take refuge in various places. On Aug. 11, he was arrested by revolutionary militias and was murdered the following day.
2. Inocencio García Díez
Priest. He was born on Dec. 28, 1875, in Alar del Rey, Palencia. He made profession in 1892. He served in Vietnam, where he received priestly ordination, then in the Philippines, and later returned to Spain. He was killed by revolutionaries on Aug. 13, 1936.
3. José Santonja Pinsach
Priest. He was born in Olot, Gerona, on April 1, 1879. He made simple vows in 1895 and received priestly ordination in 1903. On July 19, 1936, the convent in Madrid where he was living was attacked by revolutionaries. He was wounded and taken to the hospital, but he was taken from the place of care and killed on Aug. 15.
4. Pedro Ibáñez Alonso
Priest. He was born in Fuentes de Nava, Palencia, on April 27, 1892. He made profession in 1909 and was ordained a priest in 1917. He was a missionary in China and in the Philippines. After returning to Spain, he was murdered by Marxists on Aug. 27, 1936, together with the Servant of God José María López Carrillo.
5. José María López Carrillo
Priest. He was born in Alcalá la Real, Jaén, on Feb. 14, 1892. He made profession in 1911 and was ordained a priest in 1919. He was a missionary in China. After returning to Spain, he was killed by revolutionaries on Aug. 27, 1936, together with the Servant of God Pedro Ibáñez Alonso.
6. Leoncio Arce Urrutia
Priest. He was born in Villarreal, Álava, on Jan. 12, 1899. He made profession in 1917 and was ordained a priest in 1924. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was arrested by revolutionaries and murdered on Sept. 10, 1936.
7. Manuel Álvarez Álvarez
Priest. He was born in Llanuces, Asturias, on March 16, 1871. He made profession in 1891 and was later ordained a priest. He exercised ministry in Venezuela. He suffered martyrdom on Sept. 14, 1936.
8. Teófilo Montes Calvo
Religious. He was born in Gumiel del Mercado, Burgos, on Oct. 2, 1912. He made profession in 1933. He was arrested on Sept. 13, 1936, and killed the following day.
9. Cipriano Alguacil Torredenaida
Religious. He was born in Ajofrín, Toledo, on Oct. 12, 1884. He made profession in 1909. When the Civil War broke out, he was arrested and killed by revolutionaries on Oct. 15, 1936.
10. Jesús Villaverde Andrés
Priest. He was born in San Miguel de Dueñas, León, on Oct. 4, 1877. He made profession in 1895 and was ordained a priest in 1903. When the Civil War broke out, he was imprisoned on Oct. 15 and killed the following day.
11. Amado Cubeñas Díaz-Madrazo
Priest. He was born in Egea de los Caballeros, Zaragoza, on Sept. 12, 1880. He made simple vows in 1898 and received priestly ordination in 1906. At the outbreak of the persecution against the Church, he was forced to take refuge in various places and was arrested in September 1936. He was killed on Nov. 30.
12. Juan Herrero Arroyo
Religious. He was born in Barriosuso de Valdavia, Palencia, on May 24, 1859. He made profession in 1881. When the Civil War broke out, he was arrested in October 1936 and later shot on Nov. 28.
13. José Luis Palacio Muñiz
Priest. He was born on May 20, 1870, in Tuñana, Asturias. He made simple vows in 1895 and was ordained a priest in 1899. He was a missionary in Peru. After returning to Spain, he suffered martyrdom on July 25, 1936.
14. Antonio Varona Ortega
Priest. He was born in Zumel, Burgos, on Jan. 16, 1901. He made profession in 1918 and received the priesthood in 1926. When the Civil War broke out, he was killed together with other confreres on July 25, 1936.
15. Higinio Roldán Iriberri
Religious. He was born in Ollogoyen, Navarra, on Jan. 11, 1895. He made profession in 1921. After the outbreak of the Civil War, he was captured and killed by revolutionaries on July 25, 1936.
16. Juan Crespo Calleja
Religious. He was born in Villada, Palencia, on Dec. 27, 1895. He made profession in 1916. He was killed by Marxist soldiers on July 25, 1936.
17. Manuel Moreno Martínez
Priest. He was born in Rincón de Soto, Logroño, on June 17, 1862. He made profession in 1878 and, sent to the Philippines, received the priesthood there in 1885. He was also a missionary in China. After returning to Spain, he was murdered by revolutionaries on Aug. 5, 1936.
18. Víctor García Ceballos
Priest. He was born in Carrión de los Condes, Palencia, on June 24, 1880. He made profession in 1898 and received the priesthood in 1906. He suffered martyrdom on Aug. 5, 1936.
19. Eduardo González Santo Domingo
Religious. He was born in Ávila on Jan. 5, 1884. He made profession in 1914. He was killed by revolutionaries on Aug. 5, 1936.
20. Maximino Fernández Marinas
Priest. He was born in Castañedo de Valdés, Asturias, on Nov. 2, 1867. He made profession in 1885 and was ordained a priest in 1893. He was shot on Aug. 5, 1936. He managed to survive, but a few days later, on Aug. 15, he died in a nearby hospital.
21. Nicasio Romo Rubio
Religious. He was born in Castillejo del Romeral, Cuenca, on Dec. 14, 1891. He made vows in 1921. He suffered martyrdom on Aug. 30, 1936.
22. Luis Furones Arenas
Priest. He was born in Abraveses de Tera, Zamora, on Oct. 8, 1892. He made profession in 1909 and was ordained a priest in 1917. On July 20, 1936, the convent of Our Lady of Atocha in Madrid, of which the Servant of God was prior, was attacked, and he was killed.
23. Jacinto García Riesco
Religious. He was born in Calvillas, Asturias, on Aug. 28, 1894. He made profession in 1921. He was a missionary in Peru. He was killed on July 20, 1936, together with the Servant of God Luis Furones Arenas.
24. José López Tascón
Priest. He was born in Aviados, León, on March 3, 1896. He made profession in 1913 and was ordained a priest in 1921. He suffered martyrdom on July 25, 1936.
25. Isabelino Carmona Fernández
Priest. He was born in Pajares de Laguna, Salamanca, on Sept. 16, 1908. He made profession in 1925 and was ordained a priest in 1932. He was killed by revolutionaries on Nov. 7, 1936.
26. Félix Alonso Muñiz
Priest. He was born in Oseja de Sajambre, León, on May 2, 1896. He made profession in 1913 and was ordained a priest in 1920. When the persecution against the Church broke out, he was imprisoned and later shot on Nov. 7, 1936.
27. Vicente Álvarez Cienfuegos
Priest. He was born in Villamejín, Asturias, on April 29, 1863. He made profession in 1879 and was ordained a priest in 1886. He suffered martyrdom on Aug. 25, 1936.
28. Alfredo Fanjul Acebal
Priest. He was born in Oviedo on July 16, 1867. He made profession in 1883 and was ordained a priest in 1890. After the outbreak of the Civil War, he was arrested by revolutionaries and killed on Nov. 7, 1936.
29. Juan Mendibelzúa Ocerín
Priest. He was born in Bilbao on Nov. 28, 1878. He made profession in 1894 and was ordained a priest in 1902. He suffered martyrdom on Nov. 7, 1936.
30. Vicente Rodríguez Fernández
Priest. He was born in Bárcena, Asturias, on Oct. 22, 1897. He made profession in 1915 and was ordained a priest in 1922. He was shot on Nov. 7, 1936.
31. Vicente Peña Ruiz
Priest. He was born in Caleruega, Burgos, on March 22, 1883. He made profession in 1901 and was ordained a priest in 1909. He suffered martyrdom on Nov. 30, 1936.
32. Reginaldo Hernández Ramírez
Priest. He was born in San Miguel el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico, on Jan. 7, 1909. He made profession in 1927 and was ordained a priest in 1933. When the Civil War broke out, he was captured by revolutionary militias on Aug. 13, 1936, and killed the following night.
33. José Gafo Muñiz
Priest. He was born in Tiós, Asturias, on Oct. 20, 1881. He made profession in 1897 and was ordained a priest in 1905. After the outbreak of the Civil War, he was arrested on Aug. 11, 1936, and shot on Oct. 4.
34. Vidal Luis Gómara
Priest. He was born in Monsagro, Salamanca, on Nov. 3, 1891. He made profession in 1908 and was ordained a priest in 1915. He suffered martyrdom on Nov. 18, 1936.
35. José Prieto Fuentes
Religious. He was born in Valleluengo, Zamora, on May 14, 1913. He made profession in 1929. Because of the religious persecution, he was forced to perform military service. He was later imprisoned by revolutionaries and killed on Nov. 28, 1936.
36. Francisco Fernández Escosura
Religious. He was born in Sotiello, Asturias, on Jan. 23, 1917. He made profession in 1934. He suffered martyrdom on Dec. 3, 1936.
37. Manuel Santiago Santiago
Religious. He was born in Donado, Zamora, on Oct. 6, 1916. He made profession in 1934. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was imprisoned by revolutionaries and killed on Dec. 3, 1936.
38. José Delgado Pérez
Novice. He was born in Becerril de Campos, Palencia, on March 18, 1917. He received the Dominican habit in 1935. While completing his novitiate year, he was imprisoned by revolutionaries and shot on Nov. 7, 1936.
Breve apostolico di beatificazione.
