Blessed Pedro Asúa Mendía

Pedro Asúa Mendía (30 August 1890 – 29 August 1936) was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest and engineer. He studied under the Jesuits and he trained also as an architect. He graduated in that field in 1915. He worked on schools and houses for religious across Spain where he served as a priest. He was killed in hatred of his faith during the Spanish Civil War. He was beatified on 1 November 2014 in recognition of his murder. Cardinal Angelo Amato - on behalf of Pope Francis - presided over his beatification in Vitoria. Pedro Asúa Mendía was born in Spain on 30 August 1890 to Isidro Luis Asúa y San Millán and Francisca Mendía y Conde as their fifth son. He was baptized within the week in the church of San Severino. The Jesuits and the Daughters of the Cross oversaw his education - which concluded in 1906 - and he also studied as both an engineer and an architect between October 1906 and December 1914. He graduated in those two capacities in 1915 and went on to work on schools as well as churches and houses for religious. His vocation to religious life came at a slow pace and he soon realized that his true calling was not to his newfound profession but a life of service to God. He commenced his studies for the priesthood in October 1919. He studied both theological subjects in Madrid and later in Vitoria. He was ordained into the diaconate in December 1923 and was ordained to the priesthood on 14 June 1924. He was assigned as a priest in the Diocese of Vitoria. He was granted the title Monsignor during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI. Mendía was forced to flee on 25 August 1936 after he celebrated what was his last Mass but he was captured and murdered on 29 August 1936 after militiamen cornered and killed him. He blessed his killers and said: "God forgive you, as I forgive in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit". He was shot in the upper body. His corpse was found a few weeks later by a shepherd.