Summary
The Catholic Church honors Blessed Anselmo Polanco, an Augustinian bishop of Teruel who died as a martyr during Spain’s Civil War. Born in 1881, he entered the Order of St. Augustine at age eight and was appointed bishop by Pope Pius XI in 1935. Despite facing threats and imprisonment for his faith, Polanco remained with his people until his execution in 1939 by Republican forces. After his martyrdom, Pope John Paul II canonized him as a saint in 1995, alongside other victims of religious persecution. Today, his relic is incorporated into the pectoral cross worn by Pope Leo XIV, serving as a symbol for modern Catholicism’s commitment to Christian fidelity and sacrifice.
Key Topics
Blessed Anselmo Polanco, Spanish Civil War, Martyrdom
