Daria

Who they were

Josefa Engracia Andiarena Sagaseta, called Graciana, was born at Donamaría, Navarra, on 5 April 1879, and at twenty-three entered the Servants of Mary, Ministers of the Sick, founded by Saint Maria Soledad Torres Acosta, taking the name Sister Daria. After years of dedicated care for the sick in Zaragoza and elsewhere, she served from 1922 as assistant novice mistress at the Madrid motherhouse, acting as a true mother to the novices and sacrificing herself for them, before moving to Pozuelo de Alarcón as councillor and secretary.

When the Spanish Civil War broke out in July 1936, the sisters had to scatter to the homes of friends and set aside their habit; Sister Daria took refuge with three other sisters, one of whom she defended to their militia captors, saying, 'we are indeed religious; do as you wish with us, but I beg you to do nothing to this family, who took us in out of charity.' She was killed with her companions on the night of 6-7 December 1936 near Aravaca, Madrid, having often been heard to say she wanted 'the martyrdom of daily sacrifice and, if God wills, to die a martyr for him.' Pope Francis recognised her death as martyrdom by decree of 3 June 2013, and she was beatified at Tarragona on 13 October 2013.

The miracles

As a martyr she was raised to the altars without a miracle.

Why that counted as sanctity

Servant of Mary sister and novice mistress, shot by militia near Madrid during the Spanish Civil War with three companions; beatified by Pope Francis on 13 October 2013.

The cause

Connected on this site

• Soledad Torres Acosta Saint
  “Josefa Engracia Andiarena Sagaseta, called Graciana, was born at Donamaría, Navarra, on 5 April 1879, and at twenty-three entered the Servants of Mary, Ministers of the Sick, founded by Saint Maria Soledad Torres Acosta, taking the name Sister Daria.” — this site's research