When St. Francis de Sales spoke of martyrdom, he probably had no idea that nearly 400 years later Sisters of the Order he founded would have the privilege of dying for their faith.
But indeed this did happen to seven Spanish Vistandines in 1936, who were beatified in 1998.
They are:
Bl. Maria Gabriela de Hinolosa Naveros, Bl. Josefa Maria Darrera Izaguirre, Bl. Teresa Maria Cavestany y Anduaga, Bl. Maria Angela Olaizola Garagarza, Bl. Maria Engracia Lecuona Ararnburu, Bl. Maria Ines Zudaire Galdeano, and Bl. Maria Cecilia Cendoya Araquistain.
The religious came from devout Christian families and were all members of the Madrid house of the Order of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In early 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, religious persecution was intensified. That same year the community realized the danger of remaining in Madrid and moved to Oronoz, leaving a group of six nuns in the charge of Sr. Maria Gabriela do Hinojosa. By July they were confined to their apartment, where they enjoyed relative peace. However, an antireligious neighbour reported them to the authorities; their freedom was curtailed, their belongings confiscated and arrests followed. Nevertheless, they refused to seek refuge in the consulates to save their lives. Their fervour was stronger than the threat of death, and when their apartment was searched on 17 November, they expressed their desire to die for the faith, exclaiming: “What a joy, martyrdom is not far off!”.
They spent the night in prayer. The following evening, a patrol of the Iberian Anarchist Federation broke into the apartment and ordered all the sisters to leave. In striking contrast to the noisy mob was the majestic serenity of the nuns. They were taken by van to a vacant area. As they held each other’s hand, a barrage of gunfire shattered their bodies, except for Sr Maria Cecilia, who had unwittingly started to run when she felt the sister next to her fall. Moments afterwards she surrendered, declaring herself a nun, and was shot five days later at the cemetery wall in Vallecas on the out skirts of Madrid.