Martyred in Spain on October 9, 1934
Beatified April 29, 1990
Canonized November 21, 1999
In 1934 Turón, a coal-mining town in the Asturias Province in Northwestern Spain, was the center of anti-government and anticlerical hostility in the years prior to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. The Brothers’ school was an irritant to the radicals in charge of the town because of the religious influence it exerted on the young. The Brothers were known to defy the ban on teaching religion and they openly escorted their students to Sunday Mass. On the First Friday of October, the authorities broke into the Brothers’ house on the pretext that arms had been hidden there. Father Inocencio, a Passionist, who had come the night before, was preparing to say Mass for the Brothers. They and their chaplain were arrested, detained over the weekend without trial, and then in the middle of the night were marched out to the cemetery where they were summarily shot. Brother Cirilo, the Director, was 46 years old and Brother Marciano, the cook, was 39. Brother Julián was 32 and all the rest were in their twenties. Aniceto, the youngest at 22, was still in triennial vows. They were arrested, detained, and executed as a community, victims of the hatred and violence against the Church, witnessed by their death to the faith they so courageously professed and so effectively communicated to their students.
Saint Cirilo Bertrán (José Sanz Tejedor)
Bron in Lerma (Burgos), Spain, March 20, 1888
Entered the novitiate on October 23, 1906
Saint Marciano José (Filomeno López y López)
Born in El Pedregal (Guadalajara), Spain, November 15, 1900
Entered the novitiate on September 20, 1916
Saint Julián Alfredo (Vilfrido Fernández Zapico)
Born in Cifuentes de Rueda (León), Spain, December 24, 1903
Entered the novitiate on February 4, 1926
Saint Victoriano Pío (Claudio Bernabé Cano)
Born in San Millan de Lora (Borgos), Spain, July 7, 1905
Entered the novitiate on August 30, 1921
Saint Benjamín Julián (Vicente Alonso Andrés)
Born in Jamarillo de la Fuente (Burgos), Spain, October 27, 1908
Entered the novitiate on August 29, 1924
Saint Augusto Andrés (Román Martín Fernández)
Born in Santander, Spain, May 6, 1910
Entered the novitiate on February 3, 1926
Saint Benito de Jesús (Héctor Valdivieso Sáez)
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 31, 1910
Entered the novitiate on August 7, 1926
Saint Anicet Adolfo (Manuel Seco Gutiérrez)
Born in Celada Marlantes (Santander), Spain, October 4, 1912
Entered the novitiate on September 6, 1928
Saint Inocencio de la Immaculada,CP (Manuel Canoure Arnau)
Born in Cecilia del Valle de Oro (Lugo), Spain, March 10, 1887
Ordained on September 20, 1920
Prayer for Saint Martyrs of Turon
God our Father,
in the Martyrs of Turon
we see the transforming
power of the gospel.
Empower us with your Spirit
and inspire us to take the gospel seriously
that we, too, may embrace the cross
with courage and be credible witnesses of your love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.