Fr Angel Antón, the regional superior of Spain, has been appointed deputy-postulator for the cause of the martyrdom of Spanish Marists Zacarias Feijóo, Octavio Muñoz, Romualdo Saenz, Antonio De Santiago, Timoteo Uriondo, José Fernández, Anastasio Garcia, Constancio González and José Maria González,
These Marists were killed during the Spanish persecutions (1936-39).
Antón will represent the postulator general, Fr Carlo-Maria Schianchi, at the Spansh canonical courts during the process of recognition of their martyrdom, and assist him in all necessary procedures in this cause.
During his pontificate, Pope John Paul II beatified a total of about 500 martyrs and in 1999 he canonised the nine Martyrs of Turon, the first group of Spanish Civil War martyrs to reach sainthood.
In what has become the largest beatification ceremony in the history of the Catholic Church, Benedict XVI beatified 498 more Spanish martyrs in October 2007.