Martyrs of Turon
Encyclopedia
The martyrs of Turon were a group of eight De La Salle Brothers
and a Passionist
priest who were executed by revolutionaries in Spain
in October 1934. They were canonized in 1999 by Pope John Paul II
.
, living in a community there and teaching in a church school.
At the time Spain was a deeply divided nation, with left-
and right-wing
factions at odds with each other. The Catholic Church was generally associated with the right, while the Republican
government of the time leaned to the left, and left-wing factions such as the Anarchists
and Communists
commanded wide popular support.
It was against this background the Christian Brothers of Turon found themselves.
, occupying several towns and setting up revolutionary committees. On Friday 5 October they occupied Turon, forcing their way into the school and arresting the Brothers there. Also present was a Passionist priest, who was visiting to hear confession
s. He was also arrested.
Over the next few days they were tried by a revolutionary court and sentenced to death. On 9 October 1934, in the early hours of the morning, they were shot and were then buried in a common grave.
The miners' revolt collapsed shortly after this, being repressed by government troops, with over 3000 miners killed in the process. The government forces were led by General
Francisco Franco
, who would himself rebel against the government two years later.
on 7 September 1989, and beatified
on 29 April 1990. They were canonized
on 21 November 1999.
Their memorial day is 9 October.
The nine are regarded by the Catholic church as Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War
. Although their deaths occurred two years prior to the outbreak of the war, it was part and parcel of the communal violence that was a feature of the conflict, and the times before and after.
Of the 6,000 religious
killed during the Spanish Civil War
about 1,000 have had their causes advanced for beatification, though the Martyrs of Turon are the first to be canonized.
The cause for the Martyrs of Turon was linked to that of Jaime Hilario
, a Brother killed in a separate incident in 1937, who was canonized on the same day.
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
and a Passionist
Passionist
The Passionists are a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Paul of the Cross . Professed members use the initials C.P. after their names.-History:St...
priest who were executed by revolutionaries in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in October 1934. They were canonized in 1999 by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Background
In 1934 the eight de la Salle brothers were involved in an educational mission in the town of Turon in AsturiasAsturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
, living in a community there and teaching in a church school.
At the time Spain was a deeply divided nation, with left-
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
and right-wing
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
factions at odds with each other. The Catholic Church was generally associated with the right, while the Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
government of the time leaned to the left, and left-wing factions such as the Anarchists
Anarchism in Spain
Anarchism has historically gained more support and influence in Spain than anywhere else, especially before Francisco Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939....
and Communists
Spanish Communist Party
Spanish Communist Party , was the first communist party in Spain, formed out of the Federación de Juventudes Socialistas . The founders of the party, that had belonged to leftwing within FJS, included Ramón Merino Gracia, Manuel Ugarte, Pedro Illescasm Luis Portela, Tiburicio Pico and Rito Estaban...
commanded wide popular support.
It was against this background the Christian Brothers of Turon found themselves.
Incident
In October 1934 following the calling of a general strike, the miners of Asturias began to arm and organize themselvesAsturian miners' strike of 1934
The Asturian miners' strike of 1934 was a major strike action which took place in Asturias in northern Spain soon developing into armed insurrection against the Spanish government.-Background:...
, occupying several towns and setting up revolutionary committees. On Friday 5 October they occupied Turon, forcing their way into the school and arresting the Brothers there. Also present was a Passionist priest, who was visiting to hear confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
s. He was also arrested.
Over the next few days they were tried by a revolutionary court and sentenced to death. On 9 October 1934, in the early hours of the morning, they were shot and were then buried in a common grave.
The miners' revolt collapsed shortly after this, being repressed by government troops, with over 3000 miners killed in the process. The government forces were led by General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, who would himself rebel against the government two years later.
Canonization
The nine martyrs of Turon were veneratedVeneration
Veneration , or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a saint: an angel, or a dead person who has been identified by a church committee as singular in the traditions of the religion. It is practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Catholic Churches...
on 7 September 1989, and beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
on 29 April 1990. They were canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
on 21 November 1999.
Their memorial day is 9 October.
The nine are regarded by the Catholic church as Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War
Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War
Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War is the name given by the Catholic Church to the people who were killed by Republicans during the war because of their faith. As of July 2008, almost one thousand Spanish martyrs have been beatified or canonized...
. Although their deaths occurred two years prior to the outbreak of the war, it was part and parcel of the communal violence that was a feature of the conflict, and the times before and after.
Of the 6,000 religious
Religious (Catholicism)
In the lexicon of certain branches of Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox branches, religious as a noun usually refers to a member of a religious order of monks, nuns, friars, clerics regular, or other individuals who take the three vows of poverty, chastity, and...
killed during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
about 1,000 have had their causes advanced for beatification, though the Martyrs of Turon are the first to be canonized.
The cause for the Martyrs of Turon was linked to that of Jaime Hilario
Jaime Hilario
Saint Jaime Hilario, FSC was a Spanish member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Born Manuel Barbal Cosan in Enviny near the Pyrenees in northern Spain, he entered a minor seminary at age 12 for the diocese of Urgel...
, a Brother killed in a separate incident in 1937, who was canonized on the same day.
List
The Martyrs of Turon were:- Brother CIRILO-BERTRAN director of the community of Turon. He was born JOSE SANZ TEJEDOR on March 20, 1888 at Lerma, in the province of Burgos.
- Brother MARCIANO-JOSE. He was born FILOMENO LOPEZ LOPEZ on November 17, 1900 at El Pedregal (Guadalajara).
- Brother JULIAN-ALFREDO. He was born VILFRIDO FERNANDEZ ZAPICO on December 24, 1903 at Cifuentes de Rueda (Leon).
- Brother VICTORIANO-PIO. He was born CLAUDIO BERNABE CANO on July 7, 1905 at San Milian de Lara (Burgos)
- Brother BENJAMIN-JULIAN. He was born VICENTE ALONSO ANDRES on October 7, 1908 at Jaramillo de la Fuente (Burgos).
- Brother BENITO DE JESUS. He was born HECTOR VALDIVIELSO on October 31, 1910 in Buenos Aires (Argentina)
- Brother AUGUSTO-ANDRES. He was born ROMAN MARTINEZ FERNANDEZ on May 9, 1910 at Santander
- Brother ANICETO-ADOLFO At just twenty years old, he was the young Brother of the community. He was born MANUEL SECO GUTIERREZ on October the 1912 at Celada Marlantes (Santander)
- Father INOCENCIO DE LA INMACULADAInnocencio of Mary ImmaculateSaint Innocencio of Mary Immaculate , born Emanuele Canoura Arnau, was a member of the Passionist Congregation and a martyr of the Spanish Civil War...
. He was a Passionist Father who had come to hear the confessions. He was born MANUEL CANOURA ARNAU on March 10, 1887 at S. Cecilia del Valle de Oro, near the Cantabrian coast in the province of Lugo (Galicia).
See also
- Jaime HilarioJaime HilarioSaint Jaime Hilario, FSC was a Spanish member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Born Manuel Barbal Cosan in Enviny near the Pyrenees in northern Spain, he entered a minor seminary at age 12 for the diocese of Urgel...
- Martyrs of the Spanish Civil WarMartyrs of the Spanish Civil WarMartyrs of the Spanish Civil War is the name given by the Catholic Church to the people who were killed by Republicans during the war because of their faith. As of July 2008, almost one thousand Spanish martyrs have been beatified or canonized...
- Red Terror (Spain)Red Terror (Spain)The Red Terror in Spain is the name given by historians to various acts committed "by sections of nearly all the leftist groups" such as the killing of tens of thousands of people , as well as attacks on landowners, industrialists, and politicians, and the...