Vatican City, Oct 13, 2013 / 20:36 pm
During his Sunday Angelus remarks in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis thanked God for the 522 priest, religious and lay martyrs who were newly beatified in Spain.
"We praise the Lord for this their courageous testimony, and we beg for their intercession in freeing the world from every violence," said Pope Francis.
The martyrs were killed for their faith during the Spanish civil war of the 1930s. They join hundreds of other victims of the conflict's anti-Catholic persecution who have previously been beatified.
The Pope had sent a video message to those gathered in Tarragona, Spain for the Oct. 13 beatification ceremony. He said that he was "one in heart" with those in Spain.