Jitka Trmalová
The Spanish Civil War /1936–1939/ also brought great violence against the faithful, especially against priests, religious brothers, and nuns. A total of 498 Spanish martyrs of the 20th century were solemnly declared blessed on October 28, 2007 (after nearly fifty years of an official process, concluded with a decree of approval from Pope Benedict XVI). Among them are also sixteen Carmelites (O.Carm.) from three communities: Tárrega, Tarrasa, and Olot. Let us be touched by the witness of their lives and their martyrdom.1
In 1931, as a result of the global economic crisis, the monarchy in Spain was overthrown and a republic was proclaimed. The separation of the church from the state was also carried out. The Catholic Church was identified by many, without much thought, with the old undemocratic regime.
In the following years, fascist forces, seeking to eliminate the republic, again attempted to seize power. In the elections at the beginning of 1936, the anti-fascist coalition won, and a popular front government was formed, but a conspiracy was organized against this government. The civil war broke out between the ruling left and the fascist rebels led by General Franco, which were supported by the army, partly - it must be admitted - also by the Spanish Catholic Church, and from abroad by Germany and Italy. The communists - republicans received help from the Soviet Union and international brigades of volunteers. In 1939, the Francoists finally entered Madrid and established a fascist dictatorship.
Our Carmelite martyrs are not victims of fascism, but of the supporters of that other totalitarian ideology that stood "on the opposite side of the barricade" - communism. The communists at that time in Spain committed many atrocities against ecclesiastical persons in the name of the republic. They persecuted them without distinction as supporters of the old monarchy and fascism.
Tárrega
In the town of Tárrega, the Catalan Carmelites (they did not yet form an independent province at that time, but only a so-called general commissariat) had their novitiate and philosophy studies. The local community of twelve brothers was known for its reverence for the liturgy and love for the Virgin Mary. In sharp contrast to this pious environment was the surrounding area, whose population was strongly communist, beset by anti-church sentiments even before the outbreak of the civil war.
As early as February 1934, the brothers found a broken tabernacle and hosts scattered on the floor. On October 6 of the same year, communist forces placed their guard at the doors of the convent. The brothers summed (received) the transformed hosts from the tabernacle in order to prevent further desecration of the Eucharist.
In June 1936, the mayor prohibited the religious from teaching in the school and working in the hospital. A few days later, people threw stones at the Carmelites in the street. One acquaintance who saw this advised the prior to leave immediately with the community; even women who heard on the radio about the looting and burning of churches across the country urged the brothers to hide.
On July 20, on the feast of the prophet Elijah, a man named Ramón Sauret ran to warn the community of the impending general strike. It could be expected that the enraged strikers might unleash their anger on the monastery and its residents. The prior locked the church, released the civil participants of the mass through a side entrance, and sent five candidates (young men preparing to enter the order) and two novices in civilian clothes to friendly families.
The next day, July 21, 1936, the mayor ordered the Carmelites to leave the convent within an hour and hand over the keys. The last to leave were the superiors: Prior P. Ángel Prat and Novice Master P. Eliseu, accompanied by a shouting crowd that threw stones at them. A sign appeared on the convent door, declaring that it "belongs to the people." The people, encouraged by hatred of the church and the leftist press, treated "their" property as they pleased: they plundered the church, carried sacred objects and images to the soccer field, and burned them there.
The situation worsened even more, so the prior decided to ask the mayor for exit permits so that the community could move into exile in Italy. Despite being warned from various sides, the prior trusted the mayor. Some members of the community asked the superior if they could disperse, but P. Ángel wanted them to try to stay together. In the end, they were preparing to leave by train on July 28 at 4 p.m. The brothers arrived at the station individually and in civilian clothes without any religious items. However, the members of the Red Guard recognized them and arrested them regardless of the exit permits issued. Two brothers were missing - P. Joaquim, who was too old and ill, and P. Eduardo. He did not trust the mayor and wrote to the prior that he would not come and where he was hiding. This was, however, a mistake, as the guards found the letter at the prior's and also arrested Father Eduardo.
The brothers were taken to the main office of the anti-fascist militias. Then, that night (from July 28 to 29), they were taken to Clot dels Aubins, a place two kilometers from Cervera - a center of communist activities. The prior pleaded in vain to allow the youngest brothers, barely seventeen-year-old boys, to return home, as he had already sent telegrams to their parents that their sons would return. Even one of these young brothers pleaded with tears to be released. In vain. The brothers were taken out of the vehicle two at a time and shot, their bodies soaked with gasoline and set on fire. On top lay the body of Prior P. Ángel. According to witnesses, the brothers encouraged each other before death with the cry: Viva Crist Rei! Long live Christ the King. Three weeks later, the ashes of the executed were used as fertilizer on a vineyard. Some parts of their bodies, which did not burn, lay scattered around the village, gnawed by dogs. Some remains were gathered by the local priest and, after the war, were placed in the wall of the Carmelite church in Tárrega, from which the brothers had been expelled.
Tarrasa
The industrial city of Tarrasa was another focal point of anti-religious protests. Although the Carmelites there had a school attended mainly by children from working-class families, many people believed that it was precisely the priests who were guilty of social injustice. On July 19, 1936, a fanatical crowd began to loot and burn churches. The Carmelites therefore hid with friendly families. The community in Tarrasa had four members, including two priests. One went to Barcelona, the other hid in the city center, which saved his life.
Both lay brothers found refuge in the house of Mrs. Teresa Salvanos. However, people found out about it and broke into the house. Doña Teresa let the brothers escape through the back door. Their pursuers beat and kicked her until she confessed that she had hidden the religious. Both brothers were then quickly caught and imprisoned. One priest who was there with them gave the following testimony: “They were two saints. They came like lambs and never ceased to behave like religious.” In August, the two Carmelites were transferred to Barcelona. Brother Ludovico was a support and example to the younger and more timid Ángel in prison. On August 12, both were still along with two Piarists and two laymen led out of prison and the next day, August 13, 1936, taken to a cemetery used as an execution site. There, soldiers shot them in a frenzy until they fell to the ground. Those who were not yet dead were shot in the head. The dead were then carelessly buried in the ground. In 1941, the bodies of the tortured were found, identified, and buried in the new cemetery in Tarrasa.
Olot
Two members of the Carmelite community in Olot also became martyrs. On July 25, 1936, the local church was burned, the brothers received exit permits, and went to different places.
Prior P. Ferran spent some time with his relatives, then attempted to leave the country. On November 6, 1936, he boarded the Aufa ship heading to Marseille. However, someone informed the police about this and they arrested Father Ferran. During questioning, he denied fabricated charges of fascist activities, inciting against the revolution, etc., but for these "acts" he was later convicted. On the contrary, he confessed the truth: that he wanted to leave the country under a false name - this offense would have otherwise been punished with ten days in prison and a fine.
Fellow prisoners testified that he prayed in prison, performed priestly service, comforted the relatives of the condemned, and thought more of others than of himself. Before he was executed, he spoke to his executioners and forgave them. On November 22, 1936, he was shot while singing and calling: Viva Crist Rei! His brother buried him in Barcelona. A prisoner shot alongside him wrote before his death: “I am very glad to die with this Carmelite priest, who encouraged and strengthened us so much not only with words but above all with his own surrender to God's hands. He is not an ordinary man, but a true saint.”
Another member of the Olot community, Brother Eufrosino, applied to the carabiniers, who were responsible for guarding the borders, with the prior's permission. He wanted to use this route to escape the country and go on a mission. However, he lacked the necessary documents. He wrote to his father about it, but the letter was intercepted and Brother Eufrosino was arrested. He was a strong young man who had previously claimed that if the reds caught him, he would fight back with his fists. However, when arrested, he did not resist. They loaded him into a car and no one ever heard from him again. He was probably executed immediately after his arrest on October 3, 1936.
Map prepared by Jakub Malý.
These brothers were united by their love for Carmel and, in the end, by a common destiny - martyrdom. At least brief biographical data show us that they were people of different ages, characters, and diverse personal histories before entering the monastery:
Members of the community in Tárrega:
P. Ángel María Prat Hostench, prior, (* 1896) was an exemplary religious, a good superior, a teacher of natural sciences, an excellent preacher, and confessor.
P. Eliseu María Maneus Besalduch, novice master, (* 1896) already as a novice excelled in piety and humility, often spoke about martyrdom. He spent twelve years on missions in Brazil and returned to Spain in 1933 for health reasons. According to witnesses, no one celebrated Mass as fervently and expressively as he. Young Carmelites had a model novice master in him.
P. Anastasio María Dorca Coromina (* 1907) taught theology in Poland, later in Olot. He was a respected teacher and preacher, wrote a lot and contributed to Catholic press. He was technically a member of the community in Olot, he was just staying in Tárrega because he was invited there as a preacher for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
P. Eduardo María Serrano Buj (* 1912) served as a philosophy professor in Tárrega. He was honest, optimistic and cheerful, loved music. He tried to instill both knowledge and piety into his students. He emphasized that knowledge without piety leads to pride, but on the other hand, knowledge is needed to spread and defend faith and to remain faithful to faith until the shedding of blood.
Brother Pedro María Ferrer Marín (* 1909) already before entering the order combined an intense life of prayer with apostolic zeal and work for the poor; his motto was: “To give oneself entirely to all.” Brother Andreu María Solé Rovira (* 1918) was a promising student who loved Carmelite spirituality. Along with him studied brother Miguel María Soler Sala (* 1919) and brother Juan María Puigmitjá Rubió (* 1919). Brother Pedro Tomás Prat Colldecarrera (* 1919) came from a family in which there were many religious and priests; Prior P. Angel was also his relative.
When these five religious brothers made their vows in 1935, the general superior told them that asking for vows in such a time meant preparing for martyrdom. Within ten months, all these brothers indeed underwent martyrdom.
Brother Eliseo María Fontdecaba Quiroga (* 1891) was a lay brother who worked in the kitchen, entering the order at the age of 43.
Brother José María Escoto Ruiz, novice, (* 1878 in Mexico) worked for 25 years as a sales representative in Mexico, Argentina, and the USA, taught English, and later became a journalist. At the age of 46, he got married, having not gone to the sacraments for 24 years, but then returned to the church. His religious fervor grew and after eight years of marriage, he and his wife agreed that both would enter the monastery - his wife to the Carmelites, he entered the Carmelite novitiate in 1935.
Brother Elias María Garre Egea, novice, (* 1909) was by profession a tailor and was the "newest" among the brothers - he only entered the novitiate in April 1936.
Photograph of the twelve martyrs from Tárrega (the order of the photos from left to right corresponds to the order in which they are mentioned in the article).
Members of the community in Tarrasa:
Brother Ludovico María Ayet Canós (* 1886) was a lay brother who, with great catechetical talent, worked for several years on missions in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. His motto was: “Serve the Lord with joy.”
Brother Ángel María Presta Battle (* 1915) was a lay brother, a cook, and a catechist.
Members of the community in Olot:
P. Ferran María Llovera Puigsech, prior, (* 1902) spent five years on missions in Puerto Rico. He was a sought-after spiritual leader. A joyful, friendly person full of peace who often settled disputes.
Brother Eufrosino María Raga Nadal (* 1913) longed to go on missions, which is why he also attempted to escape from the country, as we mentioned. Although he always reacted energetically to injustice, he maintained his calm during his arrest.
The seventeenth martyr of the Carmelite order in that large group of newly beatified is a woman: Sister María de san José Badía Flaquer, a Carmelite from the convent in Vic (in the province of Barcelona). On the night of August 13, 1936, she was arrested, imprisoned. She defended her virginity and professed her consecration to Christ; she was killed that very night.
May these Carmelite martyrs inspire us not to be afraid to testify to our faith, for they paid for their faith and fidelity to their vocation with their blood, while we face nothing worse than mockery and misunderstanding. Also, their fidelity to religious vocation is a challenge for today, when faithfulness is undervalued and too easily abandoned. Finally, let us not forget that war, violations of human rights, and persecution of the church, where martyrdom threatens, are not realities that do not concern us. Even in the 21st century, these dramatic events are a daily reality in many places on our planet.
(Editorial note: Among the new beatified Spanish martyrs are also members of the Teresian Carmel,
but we have not yet gathered the necessary information about them from foreign materials.)
