José María of Manila

José María of Manila (Spanish: José María de Manila : 5 September 1880 – 17 August 1936) was a Criollo Catholic priest and friar of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. He was martyred in the early phase of the Spanish Civil War, and is the third Filipino to have been declared blessed by the Roman Catholic Church.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is del Saz-Orozco and the second or maternal family name is Mortera.

Blessed José María of Manila OFMCap
José María in the 1930s
Martyr
Born	Eugenio del Sanz-Orozco Mortera 5 September 1880 Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Died	17 August 1936(1936-08-17) (aged 55) Madrid, Spain
Venerated in	Catholic Church
Beatified	13 October 2013, Tarragona, Spain by Cardinal Angelo Amato (on behalf of Pope Francis)
Major shrine	Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Mandaluyong City
Feast	6 November[1]
Attributes	Franciscan habit Crown of Martyrdom Martyr's palm Rosary

Biography

José María was born in Manila, Philippines on 5 September 1880 to Spanish parents Don Eugenio del Saz-Orozco de la Oz, the last Spanish Mayor of Manila, and Doña Felisa Mortera y Camacho. His early education took place at Ateneo de Manila University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and University of Santo Tomas.^[2]

He left the Philippines when he was 16 years old to study in Spain. His father wanted him to become a lawyer. Having obtained his degree, after practicing law only a few months, he decided he wanted to be a priest. He was ordained on 30 November 1910.^[2] Circumstances, however, prevented him from following his plan to return to the land of his birth.^[3]

Desiring to return home to the Philippines to serve the local Philippine Church despite the fall of the Spanish East Indies government in 1898 because of the Philippine Revolution. Circumstances prevented him from returning, and so he resolved to zealously proclaim the Gospel in Spain, which was still suffering from poverty brought about by World War I.^[3]

Anti-clericalism escalated in Spain. A military coup in July 1936 precipitated the Spanish Civil War and the Terror Rojo that continued until the end of the conflict. On 17 August 1936, José María was executed by a leftist faction at the gardens of the Cuartel de la Montaña, a military building in Madrid.^[3]

Beatification

Stained glass with Blessed Jose Maria de Manila on the lower left.

On 27 March 2013, Pope Francis approved the findings of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints that José María and 521 other companions were killed because of their Roman Catholic faith, clearing the way for their beatification. They were beatified on 13 October 2013 in Tarragona, Spain.^[2]

See also

• List of Filipinos venerated in the Catholic Church
• Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War