Plan to beatify martyrs of Spanish civil war attacked

Historians believe that about 10,000 priests, brothers, nuns and laity were killed during the civil war from 1936-39, as Leftists fighting to defend Spain's secular republic tried to wipe out what they saw as Catholic resistance.

Beatification, a step towards sainthood, will help preserve the memory of those victims. But as Spain wrestles with conflicting versions of its history in the run up to the 70th anniversary of the start of the civil war next week, members of the committee for the Recovery of Historical Memory yesterday called on the Vatican to do more to clarify the Church's role in the bloodshed. Last month the Vatican agreed to open its archives to allow historians access to documents from 1922 to 1939.

However, many have called for the release of all records relating to the Church's actions under the dictatorship of General Franco, who died in 1975.

The Spanish Church was a powerful ally of Franco. Every house and classroom had a crucifix, and priests often wielded more influence than judges or police officers.