Shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the community of Discalced Carmelite nuns of the monastery of St. Joseph in Guadalajara dispersed and its members, in civilian clothes, had to seek refuge elsewhere.
On July 24, 1936, three nuns, Sister Mary of the Angels of St. Joseph, Sister Maria del Pilar of St. Francis Borgia and Sister Teresa of the Child Jesus and St. John of the Cross, were surprised by a group of militiamen, who fired on them as soon as they left the building where they had sought shelter.
The first died instantly and the second in hospital, while the third, initially escaped the firing, but was shot at the city cemetery. These three nuns were the first martyrs killed during the Spanish Civil War to be beatified.
The decree on martyrdom was promulgated on March 22, 1986. The beatification ceremony was held on March 29, 1987.
