On Saturday, 13 December, two Masses were celebrated respectively in the Cathedral of Jaen in Spain and at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for the beatification of men and women who gave their lives to remain faithful to Christ in times of persecution.
In the first instance, 124 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War were beatified. Choosing the martyrs has involved a research process that dates back to the 1990s and early 2000s. They were killed in various places and at different times during the Spanish Civil War, which featured elements of cruel anti-Catholic persecution.
