Catholic recognition of “martyrdom during the Spanish Civil War” is not merely historical labeling or praise of courage. The Church recognizes martyrdom when it is proved that a person was killed because of the Catholic faith (i.e., in odium fidei) and the person offered their life to Christ and the Church. This recognition typically culminates in decrees on martyrdom, and often in beatification, where the Church publicly proposes the faithful to venerate the martyrs. 1 2 3

What “martyrdom” means in the Church’s understanding (especially here)

In the Church’s own liturgical and canonical language, the martyrs of Spain are presented as people who:

• Suffered persecution for the Catholic faith during the civil war period (1936–1939). 4
• Refused to deny their fidelity to the Lord and to the Catholic Church, even under death. 4
• Were killed “in odium fidei”—that is, their death is interpreted by the Church as hatred toward the faith, not as an ordinary casualty of conflict. 1 2

John Paul II, in a homily for beatifications connected with the Spanish Civil War, stressed that martyrdom is a “particular gift of the Holy Spirit” for the whole Church. 3

He also clarified a common misunderstanding: the martyrs are not “heroes of a human war,” but witnesses of faith—people whose identity as religious and teachers led them to die as a testimony of Christ. 3

How Catholic martyrdom is “recognized” (the Church’s procedure)

In Catholic practice, recognition involves a formal process of examining evidence until the Church can issue a decree “on martyrdom” and the cause of martyrdom.

Several official statements from Acta Apostolicae Sedis describe this pattern:

• After investigation and theological consultation, the Church can declare that the deaths were true martyrdom “in odium fidei” and therefore occurred because of Christ’s love. 1
• The Church can likewise declare martyrdom and its cause for groups of the faithful killed in Spain in 1936, again explicitly noting the cause as faith-related. 2
• Once a decree is prepared and accepted, the Pope orders it to be published in the Church’s official records. 1 2

This is why Catholic recognition is usually connected with official documents and acts (decrees, beatification events), rather than solely with local memory.

Beatifications and the public veneration of Spanish Civil War martyrs

A major example in your question is John Paul II’s beatification celebration for victims of the Spanish Civil War. In that homily, he explicitly links the beatified to “the time of the civil war in Spain,” presenting them as martyrs whose faith was “crowned with the palm of martyrdom.” 3 3

He also includes a theological reason for beatification: the Church “crowns their merits” while also proclaiming that their beatification manifests the gift of grace given to them. 3

The homily proceeds to list numerous names of those beatified in this context, including (as examples from the provided text) Anselmo Polanco, Felipe Ripoll, Pedro Ruiz de los Paños (and others), and religious and educators from Spanish regions affected by the persecutions. 3

Examples of “recognized” martyrs from the Spanish Civil War (as documented)

Below are examples from the official Acta Apostolicae Sedis records provided, where the killings are dated and connected to the civil-war persecution.

Religious murdered in 1936 (illustrative list)

The following are examples of individuals recorded as having suffered martyrdom in 1936 (dates and names are taken from the provided AAS excerpts):

• Franciscus García León — martyrdom in July 1936. 5
• Franciscus de Sales Gómez Gil — martyrdom in September 1936. 5
• Cláudia Pedro Gómez Gil — martyrdom on 4 September 1936. 5
• Additional named persons in the same excerpt are listed with specific dates in August/September/October 1936. 5

Groups explicitly tied to persecution “in odium fidei”

Official AAS decrees also describe groups of religious and explicitly identify the rationale for martyrdom as hate toward the faith:

• For example, a decree records that **phil