2/17/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!Andrés Romo and Guadalupe López were executed at Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco.
It was during the time of the Cristero War (1926–29), the civil revolt by the Cristeros (Soldiers of Christ) against the anti-Catholic policies pushed by Plutarco Elías Calles, who enforced the anti-clerical articles of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, which sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church through persecution and execution. VIVA CRISTO REY!
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Thrown into Koplik Prison for being a practicing Catholic priest, Father Pjetër Çuni, a mild man, was tortured. His flesh was burned with skewers and then tossed, half-dead, half-alive, into a sewer pit.
"Speak now! Where is Christ, who cannot help you?" taunted the torturers, henchmen of Albania's Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction. "Affirm that the Lord does not exist, and you will gain freedom immediately!" 'We can not deny God, brother. God exists! God exists! Believe us!" were his last words, on July, 29, 1948. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/16/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!Returning from celebrating Mass, on May 31, 1928, Franciscan Friar Father José Pérez was stopped by the federal soldiers, who roped the priest and tied him to one of the horses.
"We have a bull to sell!" taunted a federal soldier. Forced to go barefoot, he was dragged on the stone path all the way to Tarimoro, where he and other Catholic prisoners were exhibited in the public square. Days later, on June 2, 1928, Mexican federal soldier Colonel Severiano Pineda ordered the execution of the friar. At 5 in the morning, Father José Pérez was shot under a mesquite. VIVA CRISTO REY! Father Ejëll Deda was arrested on November 12, 1947, after the Albanian government was taken over by the revolutionary Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction.
Imprisoned in nightmarish conditions, he died on May 12, 1948, "in odium fidei," for hatred of the Faith. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/15/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!Father José Isabel Flores Varela was arrested after a reward was issued by Jose Orozco, the mayor of Zapotlanjejo, for the capture of any priest during the Cristero War (1926–29), when the Church was outlawed and Catholics were persecuted and executed by the Mexican government.
After imprisoned for three days, without food or water, the priest was dragged to a nearby cemetery, where a noose was placed around his neck. He was repeatedly tortured by being lifted by his neck, but lowered before he died. When one of the soldiers, who had been baptized by the priest, refused to participate in the torture, he was shot. After the guns jammed and did not fire in a failed attempt to shoot the priest, commander Anastasio Valdivia took a knife and slit the throat of Father José Isabel Flores Varela, in the early morning hours of June 21, 1927. VIVA CRISTO REY! "They torture me in an inhumane way; I am so massacred that I will soon die," Father Dedë Plani wrote in a secret note to his mother.
For being a practicing Roman Catholic priest, he had been arrested by the Albanian government that had been taken over by the revolutionary Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction. And as he predicted, Father Plani died during torture, on April 30, 1948, in the death chambers of the prison of Scutari. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/14/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!Father Pedro Esqueda Ramirez was severely tortured after his arrest, on November 18, 1927, for being a practicing Catholic priest during the Cristero War (1926–29), when the Church was outlawed and Catholics were persecuted and executed by the Mexican government.
"Now you must be sorry for being a priest," one soldier said to him after a horrendous beating. "No, not a moment, and I have but a little time before I see Heaven," the priest answered serenely. Dragged from prison to his place of execution, on November 22, 1927, the priest was surrounded by Catholic children, distraught about his fate. "Do not stop studying the catechism, nor leave the Christian doctrine at all," the priest repeated to those who walked beside him to the outskirts of Teocaltitlán, Jalisco, where he was shot with three bullets that ended his earthly life and began his eternal life. VIVA CRISTO REY! Bishop Frano Gjini did everything he could to protect his flock after the Albanian government was taken over by the revolutionary Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction.
For his religious activities, the bishop was arrested, on November 18, 1946, on the false charges that he was a spy for the Vatican and that he engaged in counter-revolutionary activities. For 16 months, the bishop endured endless, horrible interrogations and torture, until he was executed by gunshot, on March 11, 1948. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/13/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!After attending an "illegal" underground Mass, Leonardo Pérez Lários remained for Holy Hour.
It was during the time of the Cristero War (1926–29), the civil revolt by the Cristeros (Soldiers of Christ) against the anti-Catholic policies pushed by Plutarco Elías Calles, who enforced the anti-clerical articles of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, which sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church through persecution and execution. During the Holy Hour, Mexican federal troops broke into the home and arrested Leonardo Pérez Lários, along with two priests, Padre Rangel and Padre Solá y Molist, on April 24, 1927. The next day, the three men were shot to death, in Rancho de San Joaquín, for their Catholic Faith. VIVA CRISTO REY! Father Zef "Bernardin" Palaj was arrested by the Albanian government, headed by the Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction.
Brutally tortured in prison, the freedom-loving priest died on December 2, 1946, in Shkodra, after he had been hanged from a wire and contracted tetanus. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/12/2018 1 Comment Viva Cristo Rey!"I am here with my people, live or die," Father Justino Orona Madrigal told his parishioners worried for his safety during the Cristero War (1926–29).
The civil revolt by the Cristeros (Soldiers of Christ) was against the anti-Catholic policies pushed by Plutarco Elías Calles, who enforced the anti-clerical articles of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, which sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church through persecution and execution. Father Justino Orona Madrigal served his parishioners from Las Cruces (The Cross) ranch, where he and another priest, Father Atilano Cruz Alvadrado, prayed the rosary together and discussed their pastoral duties. But then, on July 1, 1928, 40 federal soldiers swarmed Las Cruces, at dawn. When his door slammed open, Father Justino Orona Madrigal shouted "Long live Christ the King!" as soldiers gunned him down. VIVA CRISTO REY! “Long live Jesus Christ!” repeated Father Mark Gjani, when his torturers repeatedly ordered him to curse Christ.
Because of his priestly activities he had been arrested and tortured, hung from the rafters, by the Albanian government, headed by the Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction. After Father Mark Gjani died from the terrible tortures, his body was thrown to wild dogs, In Saint Paul, Mirdita, 1947. When only bones remained, those were thrown into the nearby canal. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/11/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!Father Atilano Cruz Alvarado was ordained during the Cristero War (1926–29), a civil revolt by the Cristeros (Soldiers of Christ) against the anti-Catholic policies pushed by Plutarco Elías Calles, who enforced the anti-clerical articles of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, which sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church.
A a few months after his ordination, he was assigned to replace Father Toribio Romo Gonzalez, who had been executed by federal soldiers for being a Catholic priest. On June 29, 1928, Father Atilano Cruz Alvarado traveled to the nearby Las Cruces ranch to meet with his pastor, Father Justino Orona Madrigal. Two days later, July 1, at dawn, federal soldiers swarmed the ranch and executed Father Justino Orona Madrigal. Hearing the gunshots, Father Atilano Cruz Alvarado kneeled to pray, waiting until the soldiers found and executed him. VIVA CRISTO REY! Because he was a Catholic priest, Father Anton Zogaj was arrested by the Albanian government, headed by the Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction.
Although he endured horrrific interrogations and torture after his arrest, on May 18, 1947, he consistently refused to break the Seal of Confession. On December 31, 1947, Christmas Eve, he stood on the beach of Porto Romano, in Durrës, Albania, facing his executioners, who filled his body with bullets. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/10/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!"My Jesus, my Jesus, for You I die," repeated Father Andrés Solá y Molist, as he faced his executioners, the theophobic Mexican government's soldiers, on April 25, 1927.
Arrested for refusing to submit to government control, while imprisoned and tortured, he confirmed his priestly ministry and continued to refuse to submit, which lead to his death by gunshot. VIVA CRISTO REY! "I haven't entangled myself in politics, but I am doing all I can only for the faith and Christ," replied Fran Mirakaj, when a friend advised that he not entangle himself in the politics of the Albanian government, headed by the Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1945, the devoted husband and father of three young daughters, was arrested in Puke, imprisoned in Shkoder, inhumanely tortured and executed by gunshot in September 1946. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/9/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!"They left me here, and here I wait. Let's see what God determines," said Father Sabas Reyes Salazar after his worried parishioners begged him to hide from the federal soldiers looking for priests in his town of Tatotlán.
During Lent 1927, soldiers entered his church brought in their horses, destroyed the statuary, tied the priest to a column, interrogated and tortured him for three days, without food, without water, and burned his hands because they had been consecrated. Soldiers wanted to know where the other priests were hiding. He said nothing. On April 13, 1927, Holy Wednesday, also known as Spy Wednesday, Father Sabas Reyes Salazar was dragged to the parish cemetery's enclosure. Facing his executioners, before he was killed, he shouted, "Viva Cristo Rey!" VIVA CRISTO REY! Gjelosh Lulashi was arrested as an enemy of the Albanian government, headed by the Communist Party with its theophobic Socialist ideology of death and destruction.
Tortured to deny God and his Faith, Gjelosh Lulashi was dragged from prison with other Catholics and forced to walk to a garbage dump behind the Ramaj Catholic cemetery, in Shkodra, Albania. Eight machine-gun wielding soldiers of the People's Defense stood at the ready until given the signal, at 5 a.m., on March 4, 1946, executing him and the others, leaving their bodies in a heap to terrorize the masses. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/8/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!General Enrique Gorostieta Velarde had been a lifelong anti-cleric -- until the Mexican government persecuted the Catholic Church and outlawed the Sacraments.
Recruited to lead the Cristeros, the soldiers of Christ, during the Cristero War (1926–29), he led his men in the civil revolt that resulted from anti-Catholic policies pushed under President Plutarco Elías Calles, who enforced the anti-clerical articles of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, which sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church. Through his leadership, he changed the ragtag armies into a united force, which he headed until his death, on June 2, 1929, when he was shot by a federal soldier. VIVA CRISTO REY! After tortured for three months, Seminarian Mark Çuni, chained to fellow condemned Catholics -- enemies of the Communist State, was dragged from prison and forced to walk to a garbage dump behind a Catholic cemetery, in Shkodra, Albania.
Eight machine-gun wielding soldiers of the People's Defense stood at the ready until given the signal, at 5 a.m., on March 4, 1946, executing the seminarian and the others, leaving their bodies in a heap to terrorize the masses. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/7/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!"We ask for repeal of Decree 62 that humiliates us," protested the Catholic townspeople of Tlalpujahua, on April 19, 1926, the decree that outlawed public worship, such as the the Holy Mass and the Sacraments.
Priests became enemies of the State during the Cristero War (1926–29), a civil revolt in Mexico against the anti-Catholic policies of the Mexican government, which enacted, under President Plutarco Elías Calles, a statute to enforce the anti-clerical articles of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, that sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church. Countless faithful were martyred and 4,000 priests were martyred in or exiled from Mexico for offering the outlawed holy sacrifice of the Mass. VIVA CRISTO REY! "Forgive those who could have done harm to me. Forgive those who have condemned me to death, and those who will shoot me," were the last words of Qerim Sadiku, before he was executed, on March 4, 1946, in Shkodra, at 5 a.m.
Arrested three months earlier, he endured horrendous torture and was given the death sentence, on February 22, 1946, because of his Catholic faith in Communist Albania. A member of the laity, he left behind his widow and infant son, Gasper, whom he never met or held, born three months after his execution. VIVA CRISTO REY! RROFTE KRISHTI MBRET! 2/6/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!Victoriano Ramírez López, reknowned as "El Catorce" after he killed 14 federal soldiers during a shootout, was a very flawed man, a thief, a drunk and a womanizer with many bastards, but, somehow, he ended up on the right side of the Cristero War, when the Mexican government persecuted Catholics.
An outlaw, the only reason he was recruited into the Regiment of Jalpa de Canovas was because he was fearless and insanely brave, El Catorce's fellow Cristero Lieutenant Teniente Eulogio Gonzalez later told his grandson Bob Parr. El Catorce joined because he had no one. He had nothing to lose. No one loved him. No one even liked him, but he ended up fighting for a Holy Cause, a fight for the Faithful. Because the regiment relied heavily on El Catorce's outlaw skills for special missions, Lieutenant Gonzalez, an honorable man, often argued with his fellow Cristero, trying to convince him to sober up, to put down the bottle and to stay away from the women. And as for his death, legend has it that someone on the Cristero's side ordered a hit on El Catorce, a complex man in a complex world. And so it was. His execution was fulfilled, on March 17, 1929. The life of El Catorce proves that each person has a part in God's perfect plan no matter how imperfect the person. VIVA CRISTO REY! 2/5/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!"Two words I have today with you, especially with you, young people. A black cloud with a red ideology is coming over our heads. She intends to spread out on you...and do and provoke evil...and also deny the Lord," preached Father Ndre Zadeja, on August 16, 1944, three months before Communism entered Albania.
And with that, he sealed his fate. Seven months later, the Communists used machine guns to execute him at the wall of the Catholic cemetery, in Shkodra, on March 25, 1945. VIVA CRISTO REY! 2/5/2018 0 Comments Viva Cristo Rey!An "illegal" underground Mass, with Cristeros, the soldiers of Christ, when the Holy Mass and the Sacraments were outlawed and priests became enemies of the State during the Cristero War (1926–29), a civil revolt in Mexico against the anti-Catholic policies of the Mexican government, which enacted, under President Plutarco Elías Calles, a statute to enforce the anti-clerical articles of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, that sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church. Countless faithful were martyred and 4,000 priests were martyred in or exiled from Mexico for offering the outlawed holy sacrifice of the Mass.
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AuthorTHERESA MARIE MOREAU is an award-winning reporter who covers Catholicism and Communism. Archives
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