HM Television has premiered the documentary Tú vas conmigo: Mártires Carmelitas de Guadalajara, a production centered on the life and martyrdom of three nuns murdered at the beginning of the religious persecution of 1936 in Spain.
The film reviews the story of the blesseds María Pilar de San Francisco de Borja, Teresa del Niño Jesús y de San Juan de la Cruz, and Ángeles de San José, three Discalced Carmelites murdered on July 24, 1936, in Guadalajara.
The nuns, aged 59, 31, and 27, were detained in the San José monastery and executed by militiamen in the middle of the street. Subsequently, the Church recognized their martyrdom, as it was proven that they died out of hatred for the faith. They were beatified by Saint John Paul II on March 29, 1987.
Account of the Martyrdom and Spiritual Context
The documentary reconstructs the events of that day, marked by violence against three unarmed women. After being forced to leave the convent, they were shot in broad daylight. One of them died on the spot; another was finished off while forgiving her aggressors, and the third was shot down after refusing to renounce her faith.
The production also captures the spiritual atmosphere that prevailed in the convent in the preceding days. According to the testimonies gathered, the nuns faced the possibility of martyrdom with serenity, considering it a total surrender to God.
Testimonies and Historical Context
Among the experts participating in the documentary is Fernando Moral Acha, from the Office for the Causes of the Saints of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, who highlights the value of martyrdom as a testimony of Christian life.
Likewise, the postulator Jorge López Teulón places these events in the context of the religious persecution of the thirties, in which thousands of priests, religious, and laity were murdered in a short period of time.
Other testimonies emphasize the spiritual dimension of the martyrs and their fidelity to their vocation, as well as the importance of daily life as preparation for the final testimony.
A Testimony that Remains in the Church
The three Carmelites were the first victims of the religious persecution of the 20th century in Spain whose martyrdom was officially recognized. Their relics are preserved in the San José convent in Guadalajara, where they continue to be objects of veneration.