Blessed Placido Garcia Gilabert Priest and Martyr
August 16
Benitachell, Spain, January 1, 1895 – La Plana, Spain, August 16, 1936
Roman Martyrology: A Denia in Alicante in Spain always, Blessed Placido Garcia Gilabert, religious of the Order of Friars Minor and martyr, who faced the great battle for Christ.
Placido Garcia Gilabert was born on January 1, 1895 in Benitachell, in the Spanish province of Alicante and in the diocese of Valencia. He received the baptism the following day with the name of Miguel. His family, deeply Christian, enjoyed great esteem among acquaintances. In this favorable environment Miguel learned to love and serve the Lord.
He attended primary school, standing out among all his classmates for his innate intellectual gifts and his gentle nature. He was always first class. When he was just twelve years he entered the Franciscan minor seminary in very well, always close to Alicante, where he attended courses with significant profit.
He took the Franciscan habit on October 3, 1910, taking the religious name of Placido, then issued a simple profession on October 24, 1911 and finally, the solemn profession on November 19, 1914. He attended the philosophical and theological studies in the Student of the Franciscan province of Valencia and was ordained a priest on September 21, 1918. Given his considerable intellectual capacity aptitute to teaching, he was sent to Rome, where in 1933 he obtained the Lectorate General at the Faculty of Law dell’Antonianum with the title “Summa cum laude”.
He returned later to Spain, teaching theology at the Franciscan Studentato of Onteniente near Valencia. This house was also the Guardian, that is superior, and Rector of the College. A true follower of the poor man of Assisi, he was always generous, humble, charitable, prudent, patient and with a spirit of sacrifice. At the outbreak of civil war, he was forced by political events to seek refuge with his family at Benitachell. Here on August 15, 1936 he was arrested and killed by the Republicans at dawn the following day at “La Plana”, between Jávea and Denia.
For his family, who was called upon to give evidence for the religious habit to hide more easily, said firmly: “What can happen? I am taken away his life? I gift with joy. ” His mortal remains were found buried in the cemetery of Benitachell, where they remained until 1967, when they were transferred to the parish church of the native.
Placido Garcia Gilabert and his three brothers belonging to the Order of Friars Minor were beatified on March 11, 2001 by Pope John Paul II with a group composed of as many as 233 martyrs of the persecution.
Author: Fabio ardino
Source: Santi e Beati
The Black Cordelias 