Pope Benedict XVI staged the largest-ever mass beatification ceremony held by the Catholic Church, putting 498 priests and nuns killed during the Spanish Civil War on the path to sainthood. The Catholic Church openly supported General Franco during the Spanish Civil War and the 36-year fascist dictatorship that followed.
Alejandro Quiroga, professor of Spanish history at Newcastle University pointed out that those beatified included only Franco supporters, while priests loyal to the Republic who were killed in Catalonia or parts of Basque Country were left out.
The event sparked protests and street clashes in Rome as right-wingers attacked protesters carrying a banner proclaiming, “Those who have killed, tortured and exploited cannot be beatified.”
