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| Blessed Martyrs of Motril, orate pro nobis |
"Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God ... and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God" (Rom 5:1-2). Today, in beatifying the martyrs of Motril, the Church puts these words of St. Paul on her lips. In fact, Vicente Soler, his six Augustinian Recollect companions and the diocesan priest, Manuel Martín, obtained access to "the glory of the sons of God" by the heroic witness of their faith. They did not die for an ideology but freely gave their lives for the One who had first died for them. They offered Christ the gift they had received from him. ~ Pope John Paul II*
May 5 is the Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Motril. Between July 25 and August 15, 1936, a group of seven Augustinian recollect friars and one diocesan priest in Motril, Granada were murdered for their Faith by Communist thugs during the Spanish Civil War. The Blessed Martyrs José Ricardo Díez, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); León Inchausti, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); Julián Benigno Moreno, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); Deogracias Palacios, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); José Rada, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); Vicente Pinilla, Augustinian priest (d. July 26); Manuel Martín Sierra, parish priest at the Church of the Divine Shepherd in Motril (d. July 26); and Vicente Soler, Augustinian priest (d. August 15) were Beatified by Pope John Paul II on 7 March 1999.
In celebration, we’re posting a prayer for the Blessed Martyrs of Motril. Evviva Blessed Martyrs of Motril!
Prayer
Lord, hear the prayers of the martyrs Blessed Vicente Soler and Companions and give us the courage to bear witness to your truth. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen
* From the homily of Pope John Paul II during the Beatification of Eight Spanish Martyrs, Third Sunday of Lent, 7 March 1999