Francisca Isidra Fernández Palomero
Who they were
Isidra Fernández Palomero and her husband Isidoro Fernández Rubio were lay Catholics of Villaralto, in the province of Córdoba; he was a farmer and she headed the local women's Catholic Action, and together they raised three children after marrying on Christmas Day 1918. When religious persecution reached the town in the summer of 1936, the couple temporarily left with their children entrusted to relatives at Dos Torres, but were arrested when they returned to fetch them after the Civil Guard withdrew from the area.
They were taken to the Cantos Blancos mine, bound and tortured; Isidra was also subjected to sexual violence in front of her husband. During their ordeal she urged him to remain faithful to Christ and to join her in crying 'Viva Cristo Rey.' They were killed and their bodies thrown into the mine shaft. The Church recognised their deaths as martyrdom in hatred of the faith; Pope Francis authorised the decree on 23 November 2020, and they were beatified at Córdoba on 16 October 2021 among 127 companions.
The miracles
As a martyr she was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
Laywoman of Villaralto, killed with her husband Isidoro for their Catholic faith during the Spanish Civil War, 16 August 1936; beatified 2021.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
Connected on this site
- Francisco Isidoro Fernández Rubio Blessed Spouse
- Santi, beati e testimoni (santiebeati.it) - Beati Isidoro Fernández Rubio e Isidra Fernández Palomero
- Wikidata Q110209691 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.