This document provides biographical information and details of death for several Spanish Catholic priests and brothers who were martyred during the Spanish Civil War because of their religious faith. It describes how each was taken prisoner, tortured, and/or executed by Communist or Marxist troops for being Catholic clergy. Their deaths involved being shot, stabbed, beaten with tools, or thrown in a river after enduring physical and verbal abuse. Some willingly sacrificed themselves to save other prisoners and all forgave their killers as they died proclaiming their faith in God and Christ.

1. Spanish Civil War Martyrs
of the
Congregation of the Mission
killed because of hatred for the
Catholic faith, and for being
religious clergy

2. Fr. Fortunato Velasco
Tobar, CM
Some Communist chiefs arrived
at his village, and at one in the
morning they took Fr. Fortunato
by force to the national prison,
putting him with two or more
other prisoners. The night of 23
August 1936, they took him out of
prison and, on the road to the
cemetery, they mortally shot him.
All the witnesses testified that he
died forgiving those who killed
him.

3. Fr. Leoncio Pérez
Nebreda, CM
On 29 July 1936, the priests were
having their repast when they
heard the parish church bells
clanging alarm. Marxist troops
had made their way into the city.
Fr. Leoncio escaped, changing
into old clothing and shoes. A
criminal named José Santiago
Candeal, suspicious that the old
man was a priest in disguise,
intentionally knocked his hat onto
the ground and saw the tonsure
on his head. He hit the priest in
the head and neck with a shovel
and some iron bars that he had in
his saddle, until he killed him.

4. Br. Luis Aguirre Bilbao,
CM
The Marxists went after Brother
Aguirre, who protested
proclaiming his innocence and
saying that he had done nothing
for which they should kill him.
They made him get down on his
knees in front of the High School,
today the Diocesan Seminary, and
right there they executed him.
Before the shots rang out, he
declared: “If I have to die, I die for
God and Spain.” The Marxists
intimidated him by shouting:
"Long live Communism!" but the
martyr shouted "Long live Christ
the King!"

5. Br. Narciso Pascual
Pascual, CM
On 26 July 1936, Marxist troops
took the CMs of Guadalajara as
prisoners. 300 other Catholics
were placed in jail with them.
They suffered many hardships
and abuses. There was very little
food. In the cold winter, their wool
mattresses, blankets and coats
were taken from them. The priests
and religious prayed and offered
the sacrament of reconciliation to
prisoners who were being
executed. On 6 December, a
crowd of Communists attacked
the prison and executed the
prisoners in the prison courtyard.

6. Fr. Vicente Vilumbrales
Fuente, CM
A member of the Province of
Madrid, he was born on 5 April
1909 in Reinoso de Bureba,
Burgos (Spain), was imprisoned
for six months and died on 6
December 1936 in the executions
at Guadalajara.
He had a passion for studying
languages, and taught himself
English and French at night in his
spare time. He felt this necessary
to communicate with people, in a
modern world that was becoming
smaller and smaller.

7. Fr. Gregorio Cermeño
Barceló, CM
A member of the Province of Madrid,
he was born on 9 May 1874 in
Saragossa (Spain), and died on 6
December 1936 in Guadalajara.
He taught for four years in the
Apostolic College of CM and in the
diocesan seminary.
He was especially dedicated to the
confessional, where he remained for
hours, with no reward except to see
the faithful enjoy inner peace.

8. Fr. Tomas Pallares
Ibañez, CM
On 13 October, the Marxists
planned to explode the
improvised jail they had set up,
when they saw that government
forces were advancing on the jail.
The first explosion destroyed
three walls and left the prisoners
without a staircase by which to
escape. The guards lost control of
the situation and shouted "Save
yourselves those who can." Some
began to crawl out. Lowering
himself by a sheet rope, Fr. Tomas
was shot in the head. He let go of
the rope and fell to the second
floor where he died instantly.

9. Br. Salustiano González
Crespo, CM
A member of the Province of
Madrid, he was born on 1 May
1871 in Tapia de la Rivera Léon
(Spain) and died on 13 October
1934 in Oviedo.
Brother Salustiano died the same
day and under the same
circumstances as Fr. Tomas
Pallares Ibañez.

10. Fr. Amado García
Sánchez, CM
Even while in hiding he would sneak
out early in the morning to say Mass
and hear confessions. On 22 October
1936, he and a Brother were taken
prisoner. He was accused of having
said Mass on 15 August, that he was
a priest, a Fascist and that he made
people recite the Creed and the Our
Father. He was tortured for three
days. When they came to kill him, he
embraced Brother Jimenez and said
"Good-bye! See you in heaven!" Then
to his executioners: "Kill me, but do
not do anything to this poor old man
who is just our helper." At the
moment of death, he forgave his
executioners and said he was happy
to give his life to God.

11. Fr. Andrés Avelino
Gutiérrez Moral, CM
On 3 August 1936, about 3:00 p.m.,
three or four military Marxists took
the Fr. Andrés from prison in a car
and brought him to San Justo
Parish in Astuirias. They made him
climb up a steep mountain. He
climbed with much difficulty,
praying all the time, and pushed by
his torturers. When he arrived at the
top, about 70 meters, his torturers
shot him. Later, eyewitnesses
noticed that his forehead was
marked with a bloody cross about
the width of two fingers. He had
sealed his martyrdom with his own
blood by making the sign of the
cross before he died.

12. Fr. Ricardo Atanes
Castro, CM
On 14 August 1936, at 4:00 p.m.,
the Communists removed all the
prisoners being held at San José
Church in order to execute them.
With a smile on his face, Fr. Ricardo
was dragged to the death truck
along with some 300 companions,
among them priests and religious
known for their Catholicism. The
trucks stopped at the summit of
one of the beautiful hills that
surround Gijón, not far from the
water shed, which was commonly
called "Llantones." The prisoners
were put into lines and, with
machine guns, the Marxists riddled
all of them with bullets.

13. Fr. Pelayo José
Granado Prieto, CM
Arriving at the house, a witness
heard the laughs and sarcasm of
military troops who were tormenting
Fr. Pelayo. They were hitting and
insulting the priest. They cut his flesh
in pieces saying, look at the white
meat he has! The last three days of
his prison torment, he asked in
anguish for some water to drink, but
his tormentors refused. To these
physical tortures were added spiritual
tortures. He asked for a priest to
confess him, but his request was
denied by the Marxists. On 27 August
1936, at night, they took him from his
rectory more dead than alive, stabbed
him in the back until he expired and
threw his body into the river.

14. Fr. Ireneo Rodríguez
González, CM
When they saw that many Christians
from their region were being arrested,
the Vincentian Missionaries could
have hidden themselves or found
refuge in a safer place in Spain. But
they opted to continue their ministry,
placing their trust in the Lord. In a
gesture of heroic charity, Father
Ireneo and another priest offered their
life in order to save the lives of the
other prisoners, especially those who
were parents, but their executioners
were filled with hatred for the faith
and turned a deaf ear to their plea,
thus rejecting their compassionate
charity. They were then placed in front
of the prison walls and shot; their
bodies were left on the ground.

15. Fr. Antonio Carmaníu
Mercader, CM
Fr. Antonio was very bright and
studied humanities and philosophy.
He first intended to become a
diocesan priest but then became
attracted to the Vincentian dedication
to the missions. It was said that he
had a quick temper and a tendency to
be harsh and demanding, but
experience taught him over time to
deal with all kinds of people and
particularly with the poor. He began to
realize that little or nothing is
achieved with the poor without
patience, gentleness and kindness.
On 17 August 1936, as his executors
shouted "Long live Communism!", he,
exhausted, cried: “I ​​forgive you. Long
live Christ the King.”