María Balbina de San José
Franciscan Conceptionist nun, in the world Manuela Balbina Rodríguez Higuera, martyr of the persecution in Spain
Who they were
Born in Madrid on 10 March 1886, she made her solemn profession on 12 January 1924 and was known in the world as Manuela Balbina Rodríguez Higuera. Pope Francis beatified her with María del Carmen Lacaba Andía and her thirteen companions on 22 June 2019.
The miracles
As a martyr she was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
The decree on martyrdom counts her among the professed nuns killed out of hatred for the faith in 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.
Connected on this site
- María Guadalupe de la Ascensión Blessed“Sister of María Balbina de San José, she was born in Madrid on 9 August 1892 and made her solemn profession on 7 November 1932.” — this site's research
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis 112 (2020), p. 82 - decree on martyrdom
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - beatifications of 22 June 2019
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.