Blessed Pedro Rivera Rivera, September 1

Blessed Pedro Rivera Rivera, Priest and Martyr

Villacreces, Spain, September 3, 1912 – Barcelona, Spain, late August / early September 1936

He is remembered on September 1

Roman Martyrology: In Barcelona, also in Spain, Martyr Pedro Rivera, a priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, Maria Carmela Moreno Benítez and Maria del Rifugio Carbonell Muñoz, Institute of virgin Mary Help of Christians, who in the same persecution, complied with the Passion of Christ the Bridegroom, came to the reward of eternal peace.

Candido Rivera Rivera was born September 3, 1912 at Villacreces in the Spanish diocese of Leon. Entering the Order of Friars Minor Conventual with the name of Pedro, he made his novitiate in Granollers and he made his temporary vows in 1928. Posted in Italy to attend his theological studies in Osimo, he made his solemn vows in Rome in 1933, while in 1935 he obtained a licentiate in theology and was ordained a priest.

“ He then returned home and, despite his young age, he was appointed superior of the community of Granollers, in recognition of his moral qualities, spiritual and cultural. He always showed genuine disciple of St. Francis, full of love for the consecrated life, excellent higher education, humble and kind to the brethren, a man of peace, particularly pious and devout to the Blessed Sacrament and the Virgin Mary.

“ At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Father Pedro was expelled from the monastery with his fellow revolutionaries and sought refuge with some family friends. However, he was discovered and arrested on July 25, 1936. So he just had to prepare for the imminent martyrdom confessing to the priest of Llinas, who confided: “If I have the grace to be killed, die shouting ‘Long live Christ the King.” Two days later he was released and went to Barcelona, but was arrested again August 22. Probably between late August and early September 1936 he was shot. Everyone immediately considered him a martyr of the faith.

“ Pedro Rivera Rivera and her fis brothers belonging to the Order of Friars Minor Conventual were Beatified on March 11, 2001 by Pope John Paul II with a group made a total of no less than 233 martyrs of that persecution.

Author: Fabio Arduino

Source: Santi e Beati