She saw the light of day in El Ferrol ( La Coruña) on May 23, 1881 , the eldest of five siblings. She was graceful , kind, calm , always smiling . Her father Emilio Barrera, commander of the Navy, met her every whim. But her mother, Maria Izaguirre , combined the strength and affection , making a counterweight and correcting her defects : a bit sleepy and did not like housework .
On October 15, 1918 she entered the First Monastery of the Visitation of Madrid , fulfilling her commitment to the Lord in religious life . In 1936 she was chosen by the superior to stay in Madrid with the Seven Sisters while the others left for safety. Her family wanted to take her home, but she refused because she said to her companions : ” We have promised Jesus the seven are united not separated. If we shed our blood to save Spain , we beg the Lord to be as before. ” Early in her life she said : “I do not have the strength to be a martyr” . Now , in the hands of the divine Artificer ,she has been carved and transformed into a faithful image of Christ. Her face was completely disfigured by the impact of the bullets , but God recognized His painful Image in her.