In the incandescent climate of Spain in the XNUMXs and XNUMXs, no religious order was spared, just as lay people and priests of the diocesan clergy were not spared.
The five blesseds of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God are part of a group of martyrs, the sixty-nine companions of Braulio Maria Corres and Federico Rubio, who we present here as novices who accepted their vocation in Catholic Action.
FR. JESÚS GESTA DE PIQUER
Coming from a wealthy family, he nevertheless knows the economic sacrifices of his father's death. Thanks to the help of his paternal grandfather, he was able to study at the college of the Marist brothers. Here he prepares for his first communion and, on 17 June 1923, receives his confirmation. He is part of the Catholic Youth, first in the parish of San Ginés and then in the center of San Martin, where he held the position of Delegate of the aspirants for a long time.
In 1932 he became a member of the Conference of San Vincenzo de' Paoli, dedicating himself to works of charity.
In 1934 he began to frequent the hospitals run by the Order of Saint John of God and here, aided by his spiritual director, he discovered his religious vocation, beginning to prepare for his entry into the Order's postulancy in Ciempozuelos, which took place on 24 November 1934.
On 6 March 1935 he wore the habit of novice and on 8 March 1936 he pronounced his temporal vows.
On August 7 of the same year he was arrested together with his brothers and detained in the prison of San Antón. Although his family, refugees at the Chilean embassy, had the opportunity to free him thanks to the intervention of the ambassador himself, fr. Jesús does not leave his brothers in prison and prefers to face the path of martyrdom. He dies in Paracuellos de Jarama, shouting: «Long live Christ the King!».
