Pope Leo XIV will beatify 80 martyrs murdered by communism during the Spanish Civil War.

During those years, he positioned himself as a reference in the defense of religious education against the reforms promoted by the republican regime. From his position, he organized activities, campaigns, and meetings aimed at strengthening Christian formation among young people.

His public exposure and leadership within the Catholic sphere placed him in a risky situation at the onset of the conflict in 1936.

The Vatican confirmed that, by decision of Pope Leo XIV, the beatification of 80 martyrs murdered during the Spanish Civil War will proceed, in the context of the persecution driven by communist sectors in the late 1930s.

The measure seeks to recognize those who were executed for publicly holding their Catholic faith amid a climate of political and religious violence that left thousands of victims among the faithful, religious, and members of the clergy.

The official signing of the decree by the pontiff validates a extensive list of individuals considered martyrs, among which the case of the Navarrese Manuel Arizcun Moreno stands out. His figure appears as one of the most representative examples of the repression suffered by those who defended Christian values during that period.

The Story of Manuel Arizcun Moreno

Arizcun was born in the Baztán Valley, into a family with deep religious convictions. He was the fifth child and from a young age maintained a strong connection with the Catholic faith, which marked his personal development and social participation. After completing his education in Madrid and Toledo, he married Pilar Zozaya Iturralde in 1918, with whom he had nine children.

At the end of 1928, the family moved to Pamplona, where Arizcun solidified his commitment to the local community. His active participation in the parish of San Agustín and in Catholic Action led him to take on a central role within the organization, eventually serving as diocesan president in Navarre.