Priests and Martyrs

Blessed Andrew of Palazuelo, originally Miquel González Gonzáles, was born on May 8, 1883, and was baptized the same day. At the age of sixteen, he entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin as a novice, receiving the habit in the Bilbao convent. This was on July 31, 1899, a significant date because on the same day in 1936 he would be killed in hatred of the faith.

After completing his novitiate year, he made his temporary profession, while on Aug. 2, 1903, he consecrated himself forever to the Lord by making his perpetual profession. On Sept. 19, 1908, he received priestly ordination and at the same time was sent as a teacher to the Capuchin friars' study in El Pardo, Madrid. Later transferred to Leon and subsequently to Bilbao, always as a teacher, in 1920 he returned to Madrid as provincial archivist and chronicler, a position he held, except for a brief period in Gijón, until his death.

A provincial definitor, writer, and sought-after spiritual director, during the tragic events of the Popular Front, on July 20, 1936, he was forced to leave the Madrid convent, finding lodging with other religious in a guesthouse for priests. Maintaining his usual serenity, but declaring that he had done no harm to anyone, on July 30, 1936, he was arrested and taken away from the guesthouse. Without trial, but solely because he was a religious and a priest, on the night of July 30-31, 1936, he was massacred and killed. On the morning of July 31, his body was found in San Isidro Park. Taken to the Almudena cemetery, he was buried in a place that has not been possible to identify.

Blessed Andrew is the first of 31 Capuchin friars who suffered martyrdom in the same year at the hands of the Popular Front militia. We give their names below:

1. Fr. Fernando de Santiago † August 12, 1936
2. Fr. José Maria de Manila † August 17, 1936
3. Fr. Ramiro de Sobradillo † November 27, 1936
4. Fr. Aurelio de Ocejo † August 17, 1936
5. Fr. Saturnino de Bilbao † August 26, 1936
6. Fr. Alejandro de Sobradillo † August 16, 1936
7. Fr. Gregorio de la Mata † August 27, 1936
8. Fr. Carlos de Alcubilla † January 15, 1937
9. Fr. Gabriel de Aróstegui † August 23, 1936
10. Fr. Primitivo de Villamizar † May 20, 1937
11. Fr. Norberto Cembronos de Villalquite † September 23, 1936
12. Fr. Bernardo de Visantoña † August 14, 1936
13. Fr. Arcángel de Valdavida † August 14, 1936
14. Fr. Ildefonso de Armellada † August 14, 1936
15. Fr. Domitilo de Ayoó † August 14, 1936
16.  Fr. Alejo de Terradillos † August 14, 1936
17. Fr. Eusebio de Saludes † August 14, 1936
18. Fr. Eustaquio de Villalquite † August 14, 1936
19. Fr. Ambrosio de Santibáñez † December 27, 1936
20. Fr. Miguel de Grajal † December 29/30, 1936
21. Fr. Diego de Guadilla † December 29/30, 1936
22. Fr. Ángel de Cañete La Real † August 6, 1936
23. Fr. Luis de Valencina † August 3, 1936
24. Fr. Gil Del Puerto de Santa María † August 6, 1936
25. Fr. Ignacio de Galdácano † August 6, 1936
26. Fr. José de Chauchina † August 6, 1936
27. Fr. Crispín de Cuevas Alta † August 6, 1936
28. Fr. Pacífico de Ronda † August 7, 1936
29. Fr. Eloy de Orihuela † November 7, 1936
30. Fr. J. Crisóstomo de Gata de Gorgos † December 25, 1936
31. Fr. Honorio de Orihuela † December 2, 1936
32. Fr. Carmelo da Colomo *

* On Oct. 13, 2013, another Capuchin friar, included in another process, was also beatified.