St. Pedro Mártir Sanz, O.P., Bishop, Martyr of China
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the canonization of this martyr and his companions from the Province of the Rosary in China in the early 18th century, a day-long event filled with the missionary spirit and synodality lived by the Holy Martyr in the mission of Fogán was held on September 28th. It was organized at the Barcelona Conciliar Seminary by the European University of the Principality of Andorra, the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences of Barcelona, and the Chinese community in Barcelona.
The event was presented by Msgr. Josep Chisvert, Vice-Chancellor of the European University in Andorra. The speakers included Dr. J. Serrano Daura, biographer of the Saint, who elaborated on his ministry; Mr. Jaume Castro of the Sant'Egidio communities, who spoke on friendship as a path to peace; Sister Catalina W., who presented the reality of the Bishop of Lankou's grotto, where he took refuge during persecutions; Fr. Vicente G., who discussed the inculturation and fidelity of the church in China; and finally, Fr. Pedro Juan Alonso, O.P., Provincial Vicar of Spain for the Province of the Rosary, who noted that this was a true commemoration for the life of the province and the Chinese Christian communities. Also in attendance was Fr. Isidro Aragón, O.P., a missionary in the East for many years.
Fr. Pedro Mártir Sanz, O.P., whose name coincides with the Proto-martyr of the Order, attended to the needs of the Province of the Rosary, which, by its foundation, issued calls to brothers from other provinces who wanted to evangelize in China. He never ceased to live the pillars of Dominican life, not even on the ship that sailed from Cádiz to Manila. Even more so in the mission, in the homes of Christians, following the example of the first Christian communities.
He is an example of dedication, generosity, and service. He so inculturated himself and blended in with those Christians and their customs that he forgot himself. He is an example of a mission shared with the laity, who needed him for celebrations, guidance, and formation, and he needed them to reach more people with his example and catechesis. Life is the only path that makes the mission fruitful, and the mission, in turn, makes life humble and poor. This is how Fr. Pedro Mártir Sanz lived, in the most absolute poverty, which is the best way to make the mission fruitful. He used synodality by respecting charisms and distributing functions, making use of everyone, because, as a preface for the martyrs states, Fr. Pedro Mártir understood that "from fragility (the Lord) draws his own testimony." As a bishop, he dedicated all his time to his communities, attending to them even in times of persecution.
The celebration concluded with an Eucharist presided over by the Auxiliary Bishop of Barcelona, Msgr. Xavier Villanova, with the participation of relatives of the martyr bishop from Ascó (Tarragona) and various Chinese communities in Spain, who had come for the occasion and afterwards served refreshments in the seminary cloister.
Translated from Spanish by AI.