Jul 7, 2005 / 22:00 pm
On Saturday the first phase in the canonization cause of 21 new martyrs of the Spanish Civil War of 1936 will be finalized.
Auxiliary Bishop Esteban Escudero of Valencia will preside at the closing of the diocesan phase of the cause for the martyrs who were members of an apostolate inspired by the charism of St. Vincent of Paul.
The acts will be sent to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints in Rome for study and elaboration. When the Holy See approves them, the 21 martyrs will be declared Blesseds.
The delegate for the cause, Ramon Fita, told the AVAN news agency that “the singularity of this cause lies in the fact that it brings together servants of God from diverse backgrounds who suffered martyrdom in Valencia, Gerona, Barcelona and Cartagena.”
The martyrs included in the cause are seven religious brothers, two sisters, five diocesan priests and seven lay people.