FATHER ATANASIUS OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
(Carmelite Religious, Priest) (1870–1936)
Father Atanasius of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was born on March 12, 1870, in Régil (Guipúzcoa), with the name Gregorio María Aguiñagalde Aguirreche. He was baptized in his hometown parish on the very day of his birth. He took the habit of the Discalced Carmelites in Larrea (Amorebieta) on June 25, 1885, making his simple profession on June 27, 1886, and his solemn profession in Begoña (Bilbao) on June 30, 1889. He pursued his studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Carmelite College of Begoña, except for his final year of Theology, which he completed at the College of Vitoria. He was ordained a deacon on December 23, 1893, and a priest on June 8, 1895, in Vittoria. Upon finishing his studies, he was appointed professor at the College of Begoña, where he remained for a short time. At the provincial chapter of 1897, he was elected prior of the convent of Villafranca, receiving a dispensation regarding his age. From that date onward, he held various positions, which proved his exceptional qualities and the high esteem in which he was held.
He served multiple times as local superior; he was elected for two three-year terms as master of novices, three times as provincial of the Province of Saint Joachim of Navarre, and another three times as visitator of the houses that this province maintained in America. At the chapter of 1936, he was assigned to the community of Santander. In July 1936, after the celebrations of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, he was preparing to embark for América, but on the 18th, the national uprising broke out, and the republican government did not allow him to embark on his journey, forcing him to remain in Santander. On August 13, 1936, all members of the Carmelite community were expelled from their convent on Sol Street in Santander. The Servant of God decided not to leave the city so as not to abandon his Carmelite brothers. He lodged in the home of a private individual without concealing his status as a religious.
On the night of December 27, 1936, leftist emissaries appeared at the house where he was staying. When the police asked for his identity, the owners of the home tried to present him as a relative, but he identified himself without hesitation as a Carmelite religious. Arrested, he was taken to the Neila detention center, where it is known that he remained very cheerful, trying to encourage others with great serenity and strength. On the 30th of that month, he was taken out from the police station and, along with Father Arco, S.J., and others, transferred to Puerto Chico and boarded onto a motor launch, which took them to the entrance of the bay near Mouro Island, where—with their hands and feet bound with a rope and weighed down with a stone or iron ballast—they were thrown into the sea.
BROTHER RUPERT OF THE CROSS
(Carmelite Religious) (1897–1936)
Ruperto Andueza Larraya was born in Garrués (Navarre) on March 27, 1897. He received the habit of the Discalced Carmelites of Marquina (Vizcaya) on September 11, 1925, at 28 years of age. He made his temporary profession in the novitiate of Larrea (Amorebieta) on October 18, 1927, and his solemn profession in Pamplona on November 16, 1930. In late 1930, he was assigned to the convent in Santander, where he served as porter and sacristan. He had earned the appreciation and respect of everyone due to his discretion and natural talent, his religious and amiable bearing, and the diligence and care with which he fulfilled his duties.
Days before his arrest, he asked Father Atanasio what he should do if he were arrested, to which the latter replied, “surrender yourself into the hands of God and be prepared for everything with holy conformity to the will of God.” He also advised him that, if the opportunity arose, he should not conceal his status as a religious.
On August 13, 1936, the community of Carmelite fathers of the Santander convent was dissolved. Sheltered in the home of Mr. Adolfo Mazarrasa, he moved to the San Cándido Asylum, and finally to the house of Mr. Enrique Huidobro. On the afternoon of November 17, Sisters Clara and Agustina from the San Cándido Asylum arrived at this residence to tell him to return to the monastery, which seemed safer. They were talking in the living room when they found themselves surrounded by Popular Front militia. When asked about the identities of those in the room, the owner of the house introduced Brother Rupert as a family friend, but when the question was directed at the brother, he replied that he was a Carmelite religious. In the face of this courage, the two sisters stepped forward as religious women. All three were arrested. They were transferred to the Neila detention center, where the two religious sisters were released.
On the 18th, he made his confession with Father Augusto de la Cruz (Uzcudun), a Carmelite who was imprisoned in the same place. At around nine o’clock at night, he was called by name and taken out of the prison. Transported to Puerto Chico, he was taken out into the bay, between Cape Mayor lighthouse and Mouro Island, and thrown into the sea, with his hands and feet bound with a rope from which a heavy stone or piece of iron was suspended. He was 39 years old at the time of his martyrdom.
BROTHER MAXIMIN OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL
(Carmelite Novice) (1916–1936)
Maximino Sáez Martínez was born in Burgos on December 16, 1916, and was baptized on the 26th at the church of San Lesmes Abad in the Castilian city. In 1929, he entered the San José Seminary in Burgos, where he studied his first year of Latin and humanities as a day student. In 1932, he continued his vocational journey at the apostolic school of Uclés (Cuenca), run by the Augustinian Fathers. He stood out for his spirit of obedience, fervour, and piety. He returned home in mid-1934.
On May 10, 1935, he entered the Burgos convent of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. He arrived with the explicit desire not to aspire to anything other than being a religious, that is, a lay brother. On November 20 of the same year, he entered the novitiate at Burgos, taking the religious name of Brother Maximin of the Virgin of Mount Carmel. On December 4, 1935, he was assigned to the Carmelite residence in Oviedo. From this community, he wrote exemplary letters to fellow religious and family members. He was deeply touched by the wave of holiness and fame of martyrdom of the now-Blessed Eufrasio del Niño Jesús.
In May 1936, he was assigned to the Reinosa community, arriving there in early June. Jovial and pious by nature, he had the unique skill for everything and was very helpful. Thus, he took charge of the Chapel of San Roque, carrying out his duties to everyone’s satisfaction. The community was caught by surprise by the national uprising of July 18, and its members had to scatter.
A boarding house was found for Brother Maximin because, at nineteen years of age, he could go unnoticed and camouflage himself as a student. However, the pious women who ran the Las Quiterias boarding house, seeing the atmosphere, advised him to leave. Wandering the streets, he was branded as suspicious and arrested. Taken to the Colegio de San José, which was turned into a prison, he was released and attempted to cross into the nationalist zone; but this led to his re-arrest, beginning a long and painful ordeal and captivity filled with torture, insults, and hardships. From Reinosa, he was transferred to Santander and taken to the prison ship Alfonso Pérez on December 8. In this prison, he suffered death threats and mistreatment. On December 16, he turned 20 years old.
On Sunday, December 27, many relatives of the detainees were on the ship visiting their family members, as it was the Christmas season. However, an unbridled mob began to arrive, seeking retaliation for a bombing by nationalist aviation that the city had just suffered. Breaking into the hold, they used machine guns and hand grenades against the defenseless captives. Brother Maximin was with a family man who asked his companion to let him go to the front, and at that moment, a hand grenade struck the Maximino from behind, tearing him apart. Miraculously, the family man survived.
