Blessed Florencio Martin

Álvaro Ibáñez Lázaro was born in Godos, Teruel on June 12, 1913. He was baptized the following day.
He entered the junior novitiate in Cambrils on November 10, 1927 and took the habit there on August 14, 1929.

He began his apostolate at the school in Barceloneta in February 1932. In the summer of 1933 he went to the Bonanova community where he was overcome by religious persecution.

He was a kind and optimistic man by nature and he was characterized as pleasant and cordial. Among his talents were art and music.

In July 1936 as the Bononova community was dispersing, he went into hiding along with Brothers Honorato Andrés and Ambrosio León within the city of Barcelona. They decided to go to Teruel and as they made a stop in Valencia they were intercepted.

Lord Jesus: Thank you for Brother Florencio.
Thanks because he was a good and noble man.
Thanks for his wonderful abilities in Christian education.
May we also be welcoming and productive.
May we be good people who walk through the world imparting humanism, generosity and forgiveness.
May we be able to give our lives for You and for our brothers and sisters, as did our Brother Florencio. Amen.

Beatified 11 March 2001.