Juan María Coca Saavedra
Diocesan priest, martyr of the persecution in Spain
Who they were
Juan María Coca Saavedra was born at Mairena del Alcor near Seville on 24 December 1884, was ordained priest on 18 December 1909 and was made assistant priest of Lora del Río on 14 October 1911. He was shot and buried in the town cemetery on 1 August 1936. Pope Francis beatified him on 18 November 2023.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
He was shot and buried in the cemetery of Lora del Río on 1 August 1936.
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.
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis 116 (2024), p. 3 - decree on martyrdom
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - manuel-gonzalez-serna-rodriguez-e-19-compagni
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - beatifications of 18 November 2023
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.