José María of Manila

José María of Manila (Spanish: José María de Manila : 5 September 1880 – 17 August 1936) was a Filipino-born Spanish Catholic priest and friar of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. He was martyred in the early phase of the Spanish Civil War, and is the third Filipino to have been declared blessed by the Roman Catholic Church.


José María of Manila

José María in the 1930s
Martyr
BornEugenio del Sanz-Orozco Mortera
5 September 1880
Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Died17 August 1936(1936-08-17) (aged 55)
Madrid, Spain
Venerated inCatholic Church
Beatified13 October 2013, Tarragona,
Spain by Cardinal Angelo Amato (on behalf of Pope Francis)
Major shrineSaint Francis of Assisi Parish, Mandaluyong City
Feast6 November[1]
AttributesFranciscan habit
Crown of Martyrdom
Martyr's palm
Rosary

Biography

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José María was born in Manila, Philippines on 5 September 1880 to Spanish parents Don Eugenio del Saz-Orozco de la Oz, the last Spanish Mayor of Manila, and Doña Felisa Mortera y Camacho. His early education took place at Ateneo de Manila University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and University of Santo Tomas.[2]

He left the Philippines when he was 16 years old to study in Spain. His father wanted him to become a lawyer. Having obtained his degree, after practicing law only a few months, he decided he wanted to be a priest. He was ordained on 30 November 1910.[2] Circumstances, however, prevented him from following his plan to return to the land of his birth.[3]

Anti-clericalism escalated in Spain. A military coup in July 1936 precipitated the Spanish Civil War and the Terror Rojo that continued until the end of the conflict. On 17 August 1936, José María was executed by a leftist faction at the gardens of the Cuartel de la Montaña, a military building in Madrid.[3]

Beatification

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Stained glass with Blessed Jose Maria de Manila on the lower left.

On 27 March 2013, Pope Francis approved the findings of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints that José María and 521 other companions were killed because of their Roman Catholic faith, clearing the way for their beatification. They were beatified on 13 October 2013 in Tarragona, Spain.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Blessed José María of Manila". Catholic Online. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Arcalas, Jasper and Opiniano, Jeremaiah. "Spanish priest whom Francis declared blessed still 'Filipino'", The Philippine Star, January 15, 2015
  3. ^ a b "Pinoy priest Jose Maria to be beatified in Spain in October", GMA News, July 19, 2013
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