Martyrs of Turon

The martyrs of Turon were a group of eight De La Salle Brothers and a Passionist priest who were executed by revolutionaries in Spain in October 1934. They were canonized in 1999 by Pope John Paul II.

Background

At the time Spain was a deeply divided nation, with left-wing and right-wing factions at odds with each other. The Catholic Church was generally associated with the right, while the Republican government of the time leaned to the left, and left-wing factions such as the Anarchists and Communists commanded wide popular support. It was against this background the Christian Brothers of Turon found themselves.

In 1934 Turón, a coal-mining town in the Asturias Province in Northwestern Spain, was the centre of anti-government and anticlerical hostility in the years prior to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. The eight de la Salle brothers were involved in an educational mission in the town of Turón in Asturias, living in a community there and teaching in a church school.[1] The Brothers were known to defy the ban on teaching religion and they openly escorted their students to Sunday Mass.[2]

Incident

In October 1934 following the calling of a general strike, the miners of Asturias began to arm and organize themselves, occupying several towns and setting up revolutionary committees. The Brothers' school was an irritant to the radicals in charge of the town because of the religious influence it exerted on the young.[1] On Friday 5 October they occupied Turon, forcing their way into the school on the pretext that arms had been hidden there[1] and arresting the Brothers there. Also present was a Passionist priest, who was visiting to hear confessions. He was also arrested.

Over the next few days they were tried by a revolutionary court and sentenced to death. On 9 October 1934, in the early hours of the morning, they were shot and were then buried in a common grave.[2]

The miners' revolt collapsed shortly after this, being repressed by government troops, with over 3000 miners killed in the process. The government forces were led by General Francisco Franco, who would himself rebel against the government two years later.

Canonization

The nine martyrs of Turon were venerated on 7 September 1989, and beatified By Pope John Paul II[2] on 29 April 1990. They were canonized on 21 November 1999.[3] Their memorial day is 9 October.

The nine are regarded by the Catholic church as Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War. Although their deaths occurred two years prior to the outbreak of the war, it was part and parcel of the communal violence that was a feature of the conflict, and the times before and after. Of the 6,000 religious killed during the Spanish Civil War about 1,000 have had their causes advanced for beatification, though the Martyrs of Turon are the first to be canonized.

The cause for the Martyrs of Turon was linked to that of Jaime Hilario, a Brother killed in a separate incident in 1937, who was canonized on the same day.

List

The Martyrs of Turon were:[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Martyrs of Turón (Asturias)", Lassallian Heritage
  2. 1 2 3 "Blessed Martyrs of Turón (Asturias, Spain)", Christian brothers of the Midwest
  3. 1 2 "Saint Martyrs of Turon", Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools

Sources

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