20 July 1936, an aggressive and inquisitive mob started crowding in front of the house of the missionaries shouting "death to those priests and destructions of religion: We have to finish off with all of them".

At 5 PM a hasty sound of the bell summoned the community. "That bell over the long years of its service to the community had never before called them with so mujch love as it did now when it was calling them to martyrdom... and it was obeyed with the usual fidelity.

The community gathers itself in the inner courtyard of the seminary clamly and silently while the crowd of militiamen and riflemen burst into the silent cloister shouting and threatening:"Where are you hidding the arms?" "There are no arms and no politic here, we are religious."

Fr. Leoncio Perez and the others were submitted to a sham interrogation: "Where have you hidden your weapons?" Showing the rosary with an innocent smile, he replied, "I don't have or want any other weapon but this."

As they did not find any arms, they arrested the three superiors. They were led to the municipal jail among 50 riflemen. It was a small, dirty hall without ventilation where they had already imprisoned several priests and Catholic lay persons.

Calm and modest, they went to the jail. Some had a smile on their lips. "They were so recollected as if they were returning after receiving communion." A simple man in a spontaneous move took off his hat "as if Corpus Christi procession" were passing along.

At the windows of the auditorium, people were gathering day and night shouting at the prisoners the most absurd slanders and wild threats. But they pardoned and prayed.

Young prostitutes were left in the auditorium with provocative attitudes and proposals of liberty if they went with them. But the prisoners turned their back on them and engaged in conversation or in reading books or in reciting the rosary.

The Eucharist constituted the center of their life and the force of their martyrium. So long as they could, they distributed the Eucharist, hidden from their jailors. Sometimes they hid the consecrated host in the breakfast bread.

Walls, counterfoils of the stage, pieces of paper and wood, all are covered with inscriptions: It is the martyr witness of these heroes of Christ. Ramon Illa, anxious to communicate to his family the immense joy he felt, writes this letter:

"Will you save me with all my companions?"
"No, only you."
"Well, then, I don't accept your offer. I prefer to be a martyr with them."
Salvador Pigem writes, thus, a sublime chapter of brotherly love with these heroic traits.

In the early morning hour of 2nd August, the three Claretian superiors fell prey to bullets in the cemetery together with other priests and lay Catholics. Thus, in Barbastro, the revolutionary slogan of the Marxists began to fulfill itself: "Of priests and monks, no need to leave even the seed."

In the morning of 12th August, they took the six oldest, hands tied. After a few minutes, they fell as glorious sacrifices pardoning their executioners at the turn of the road.

On hearing their names called, they jumped down from the stage resolutely. Some embraced each other with joy; others kissed the rope with which they were going to be tied, and all of them pardoned their executioners. Those who were left looked on with deep respect.

At the start of their journey, the joyful shouts and prayers and songs turned the scene into an impressive manifestation of faith. The truck, loaded with the sacred load, turns towards the place of martyrdom triumphantly, as it were.

Faustino Perez, a man of exceptional character, became the leader of the group, in those last days. With his contagious enthusiasm, his "last offering" and other writings will form part of martyr anthologies into the far future.

"For the last time, if you renounce your religion and come with us, we shall spare your lives."
"Never do we heaven so close and sure as it is now. Long live Christ the King!"
The rifles silence the last expressions of love for Christ from these heroes.

They are pushed to a steep slope. In the background, the sanctuary of Our Lady of Pueyo. Some on their knees, others with their hands in the form of the cross, were shouting, "Long live Christ the King! Long live the Heart of Mary! Long live!" So they met the shots.

On the 18th of August, in the same place, the last two seminarians, Jaime Falgarona and Atanacio Vidaurreta, fell riddled with bullets. They completed the glorious crown of 51 Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro.

"All the testimonies received allow us to assert that these Claretians died because they were Christ´s disciples, because they would not deny their faith or religious vows. Therefore, with the blood they shed thay inspire us all to live and die for the word of God we have been called to proclaim."

HOMILY OF POPE JOHN PAUL II IN THE BEATIFICATION OF THE MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO.