Pope Leo’s Recognition of Spanish Martyrs
During the early 20th century, Spain was torn apart by a civil war that saw an uneasy alliance of leftist groups, bolstered by Soviet support, clashing against conservatives, nationalists, and monarchists who received aid from Germany and Italy. This internecine conflict not only involved anarchists and communists but also made quite the mark in history, notably captured in George Orwell’s writings.
In the years just before the war, the Spanish Catholic Church faced escalating hostility. Supporters of the church faced significant violence, including deadly attacks and political repression from the republican government.
However, the persecution wasn’t nearly as harsh as what would follow during the “Red Terror,” a period characterized by extreme anti-Catholic violence. Described vividly by the late polymath Eric von Kuhnert-Redin, this era became infamous for acts of brutality and obscenity.
According to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation:
Republican militias desecrated and looted churches across Spain, turning religious sites into spectacles of mockery. They dug up and mistreated the bodies of saints and priests. About 6,800 Catholic clergy, including 13 bishops, were killed—far beyond any response to clerical abuse. As historian José Sánchez noted, “all kinds of priests were targeted,” with killings becoming a grim requirement for committed partisans: “We see a cassock, we kill a cassock.”
On Monday, Pope Leo authorized the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints to acknowledge the martyrdom of Brother Estanislao Ortega García and diocesan priest Emanuele Berenguer Curcella. They were among those killed due to their faith during an intense wave of persecution across Catalonia in mid-1936.
Pope Leo remarked that recognizing a priest’s martyrdom signals progress toward canonization.
This isn’t the first instance where Pope Leo, along with his predecessors, has acknowledged the sacrifice of Christians who were murdered during the Spanish Civil War. Last year, for instance, Pope Leo recognized 50 martyrs from this conflict.
The canonization process generally consists of several stages: Candidates must first live a virtuous life to be deemed “venerable” by the Pope. Following that, beatification, which involves one miracle being attributed to them, leads to further possibilities of canonization, which requires another miracle.
The concept of sainthood extends to anyone who has lived a notably virtuous life, including those martyred for their faith.
In the past, many martyrs of the Spanish Civil War have been recognized by various Popes. Pope Benedict XVI beatified 498 martyrs in 2007, while Pope John Paul II recognized 233 more in 2001—highlighting remarkable stories of bravery and faith in the face of adversity.
Such recognitions symbolize not just individual heroism, but they also resonate deeply with the Catholic Church’s narrative of resilience and virtuous tradition amid challenges.
