Faithful to their people in the midst of persecution. This is the narrative of the 80 martyrs from Santander, Spain, who will shortly be beatified, the first step towards sainthood. Leo XIV gave the go-ahead to issue the required decrees. Francisco Gonzáles de Córdova and his 79 companions testified to their faith and love during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s and the subsequent religious persecution: some were thrown into the sea with their hands and feet bound and a stone tied to their bodies; others disappeared on the prison ship "Alfonso Pérez"; others were killed and burned; and some died in a sort of concentration camp. Of the 80, 67 were priests, three were Carmelite friars, three were seminarians, and seven were laypeople. Francisco Gonzáles de Córdova's story highlights his dedication to the people he served as a priest in the parish of Santa María del Puerto, Santoña. He refused to flee during the persecution by anarcho-communist militias, despite being prohibited from conducting Mass and dispensing the sacraments. He was taken prisoner and sent to the ship, which had been converted into a prison. In the holding cell, he continued to hear prisoners' confessions and recite the rosary every day. When he was called to his execution, he requested to be the final one to absolve and bless his companions. He was 48 years old.