Marcela de Santo Tomas Navarro
Sister of the Congregation of Christian Doctrine, martyr of the persecution in Spain
Who they were
The Roman Martyrology names her on 20 November among the blessed virgins and martyrs of the Congregation of Christian Doctrine killed in the Spanish persecution.
The Acta Apostolicae Sedis record that she was born in the province of Albacete on a day, month and year unknown because the archives were destroyed, that she entered the Congregation of Christian Doctrine in 1934 at the age of forty-five, and that she was still a novice at the time of her martyrdom, most humble, kind and simple.
The Acta Apostolicae Sedis record that the sisters of the Mislata community of the Congregation of Christian Doctrine were taken on the evening of 20 November 1936 to the place called Picadero de Paterna, six kilometres from Valencia, and shot there that same night without any trial; they were beatified at Rome on 1 October 1995 by John Paul II with Angela de San Jose Lloret Marti and sixteen companions.
The miracles
As a martyr she was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
She was shot with her community at Picadero de Paterna for remaining faithful to Christ.
- Roman Martyrology, 20 November (Italian Bishops' Conference, Santo del giorno)
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis 86 (1994) - decree on the martyrdom of the Sisters of Christian Doctrine of Mislata
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis 89 (1997) - beatification letter
- Wikidata R6a8d5059 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.