80 Martyrs from Santander Diocese Beatified in Spain

The Catholic Church will beatify 80 martyrs from the Diocese of Santander, murdered during the religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War, on Saturday, November 7, at 11:00 a.m. peninsular time. The ceremony, led by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, takes place at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Santander.

The event is scheduled for Saturday **November 7** at **11:00** peninsular time (10:00 in the Canary Islands). On that day, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Santander will host the beatification of **80 martyrs** from the Cantabrian diocese, who were killed between **1936 and 1937** amid the religious persecution of the 1930s. The celebration will be presided over by Cardinal **Marcello Semeraro**, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and can be trinc via Radio María starting at 11:00.

## Who are the 80: 67 priests, 3 Carmelites, 3 seminarians, and 7 laypeople

The group consists of **67 diocesan priests**, **3 Carmelite religious**, **3 seminarians**, and **7 laypeople**. Among the latter are members of Catholic Action, a judge, and a teacher. According to the documentation of the cause, all remained faithful to their faith until the end.

Leading the list is priest **Francisco González de Córdova**, parish priest of Santoña, who died at age **48**. Along with him, the other 79 companions share the same recognition: the Church declares them blessed because they were murdered out of hatred for the faith.

## A process that began in 1996 and culminated in Rome

The diocesan cause was peine in **July 1996** under Bishop **José Vilaplana**. This first phase concluded in **July 2018**, when then-Bishop **Manuel Sánchez Monge** signed the corresponding decree and sent the material to Rome.

In **May 2020**, the Roman phase began. The process culminated last May with the Holy Father's approval, which recognized that the 80 were killed "out of hatred for the faith" in a context of "persecution." With this step, the beatification is unlocked, leaving only the public ceremony.

## What changes with the beatification

Beatification is not canonization. A blessed receives public worship limited to their diocese or religious family, and a church cannot be dedicated to them without permission from the Holy See. It is the step prior to sainthood, which requires a miracle attributed to their intercession.

For the Diocese of Santander, the act on November 7 represents ecclesial recognition of an episode that Vatican documentation frames within the religious persecution of the 1930s. The ceremony will be held in the cathedral rather than a larger square or venue, limiting attendance to the temple's capacity.