"The Martyr Seminary"

The Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro

Many innocent people died during the Spanish Civil War. The army or death squads killed honest people just because they were on the left. And in the Red zone, many Catholics, Bishops, Priests and Religious and Lay people were executed for their faith. Those who died for their beliefs, on one side or the other, deserve the respect of everyone.

Not all the Christians died for the faith; many were killed for various reasons that have nothing to do with it. And we cannot attest to the manner of death of all those who died for the faith, like the Martyrs. This is important since the Church beatifies only those who can be ascertained as having died for the faith, forgiving their executioners as Jesus did.

WHO ARE THEY?

They are 51 Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians) killed in hatred of the faith in August 1936.

The all belonged to the Community of Barbastro. It was a large community, composed of 60 persons, dedicated to the formation of the missionaries; it was a Seminary of the Congregation.

Nine were priests who had charges of responsibility in the house and in the Seminary. Two had received priestly ordination a little more than two months earlier.

Of the 12 Brothers of the community, only 5 received the palm of martyrdom, because they did not kill the elderly nor those that were very sick.

The rest of the community (39) were seminarians who were in the last years of theology. One was a subdeacon and 11 had received minor Orders. Two Argentinians were saved from death: they were freed at the last minute because they were foreigners.

It is good to highlight the youth of the great majority of these martyrs, since it was a Seminary Community. Only 9 of these martyrs were over 25 years old; 36 of them had not reached that age, and three were only 21 years old.

I want o know more about these young martyrs