Relics of Spanish civil war martyrs sent to over thirty countries, including US

Mar 12, 2006 / 22:00 pm

As it celebrates the fifth anniversary of the beatification of 233 martyrs from 1936’s Spanish civil war, the Archdiocese of Valencia has distributed more than 2,000 relics for veneration in parishes and religious communities in more than 30 countries.

The archdiocesan delegation for the Causes of Saints noted that March 11 was the fifth anniversary of the largest collective beatification in history, which celebrated 233 martyrs of Valencia who gave their lives for the faith in 1936.

Requests for the relics came mostly from parishes but also from seminaries, colleges, and Christian communities, as well as from individuals and families “who desire to venerate our martyrs in their homes,” said archdiocesan officials.

Parishes in the Philippines, China, Venezuela, Mexico, Tanzania, Japan, Brazil, Australia and the United States were among those requesting the relics.

The relic of Blessed Pascual Torres Lloret will be sent to a seminary in Hong Kong.  Relics of Blessed Pascual have also been sent to parishes in Venezuela, Mexico, Tanzania, Japan and Brazil.

Most of the relics consist of “small bone fragments” of the martyrs.  “Of the 233 beatified, we lack relics for more than 30 of them as the irremains have not yet been located or identified by the tribunals that have been in charge of the causes, even though their martyrdom has been completely confirmed,” officials said.