SW News: A Catholic priest in Spain who saved the incorrupt body of St Isidore from being desecrated by militiamen during the Civil War is among 140 clergymen and laymen who are on the road to sainthood. The causes of Fr Timoteo Rojo and other martyrs are being promoted by the Archdiocese of Madrid, the Diocese of Getafe, the Catholic Association of Propagandists, Catholic Action of Madrid and Catholic Action of Getafe.

As many as three causes are being spearheaded for beatification. They include one cluster comprising 61 priests from the Madrid Archdiocese, another having 71 laypeople and a third for eight members of the Catholic Association of Propagandists.

The martyred priest was the canon archivist and librarian of the Cathedral of St Isidore, the patron saint of farmers. Fr Rojo was on the hit list of the militiamen as they believed he could access important documents. With the help of three other priests, Fr Rojo hid the urn containing the sacred body of the saint in a niche on the wall of the cathedral and plastered it, thus saving it from desecration. However, he had to sacrifice his life to keep the secret from the soldiers.

Auxiliary Bishop of Madrid the Most Rev. Juan Antonio Martinez Camino said that the religious persecution during the 1930s “was the bloodiest suffered by the Church in the country, although not the greatest in history; yes, perhaps the most intense.” As many as 7,500 Catholic priests were martyred for the faith during the last five months of 1936 when the war began.

In the cause for Fr Federico Santamarta, one of his ears was cut off by a militiawoman while he was still alive and he was then made to undergo physical assault at the hands of children. He was then shot dead in the presence of the residents of the town. In Los Molinos, near Madrid, a group of laymen was imprisoned and tortured for four days before being executed.
Fr Andres Rodriguez Perdiguero of Madrid, who saved the painting of the Virgin of Paloma, was killed with his arms extended in the form of a cross after forgiving the executioners.

As many as eight members of the Catholic Association of Propagandists are on the road to sainthood. They include Jose Maria de la Torre Rodas, a lawyer who served as general secretary of the Propagandists.