The Saint Monica Parish and the Romareda High School, with their half-century of life, are the last witnesses of a long and varied presence of the Augustinian Recollects in Aragon, which dates back practically to the foundation of this religious Order.
The Augustinian Recollect Family was born in December 1588 and only fourteen years later, in 1602, it founded its first convent in Saragossa at the hands of Friar Jerónimo de Saona. It was located on Manteria Street, near the Coso; it was a humble convent, with a small temple and no possibility of expansion.
On an uncertain date, but after 1638, the Recollects moved to the area around the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Portillo, then on the outskirts of the city centre, where they established the headquarters of the Province of Our Lady of Pilar (established in 1621), which came to have twelve convents, all in the former Crown of Aragon: two in Saragossa and the rest in Zuera, Borja, Alagón and Calatayud (Saragossa), Huesca and Benabarre (Huesca), Caudiel and Valencia (Valencia), Guisona (Lérida) and Barcelona.
Part of that history came back to light for Aragonese society not long ago. On April 7, 2008, the Augustinian Recollects were awarded the Medal of “Defender of Saragossa” in “public recognition of historical gratitude for the help given to the city during the Sieges of 1808 and 1809” and for the “testimony of their presence and continued work among Saragossa and Aragonese society.”
This medal, awarded during the bicentennial celebrations of the Sieges of Saragossa, recalls the role of the Recollects in this historic event, one of the most significant in the entire history of this city. A key strategic location for controlling Aragon and guaranteeing communications with Catalonia, the city of Saragossa revolted against Napoleon on May 2, 1808, following in the footsteps of the entire country.
The population resisted the French, superior in number and weaponry, who besieged the city for the first time. At the end of that year, Napoleon’s troops returned in greater numbers and resumed the siege. Despite fierce resistance, Saragossa, decimated by battle and epidemics, finally capitulated on February 21, 1809.
The sieges of Saragossa left behind a great number of heroes. The Augustinian Recollect José Ibáñez de la Consolación (1769-1809) was one of them. With deep spirituality and pastoral zeal, he had great influence among the common people, with the authorities and with General Palafox himself, head of the city’s defense.
The Recollect friar did not stop going through the trenches encouraging, assisting and visiting the wounded. The French arrested him on November 30, 1809, on December 9 they executed him and threw his body into the Aragon Canal. In 1816 his remains were recovered and he was given a first tribute; In 1908 it was included in the monument of the First Centenary of the Sieges; and in 1943 a street in the city was dedicated to him.
The War of Independence (1808-1814) changed Spanish society and also the Augustinian Recollects. 115 friars were killed, imprisoned and died from epidemics. In Saragossa, 18 Recollects died during the sieges.
Of the two convents in the city, the Portillo was left in ruins; the formation house, popularly known as the “Agustinicos”, dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Toletine and located not far from the Pilar Basilica, suffered less.
The abrupt end of this first stage took place with the Confiscation Law (1835-1844), a process by which the Government closed down religious life and expropriated and auctioned off the Church’s assets to support the Carlist war and reduce the foreign debt. The Law of July 29, 1837 stated: “All monasteries, convents, colleges, congregations and other houses of religious of both sexes are hereby extinguished in the Peninsula, adjacent Islands and Spanish possessions in Africa…”
Between August 11, 1835 and January 15, 1836, the 129 Recollects of the Province of Pilar were exclaustrated; in Aragon there were 105 between Calatayud (27), Borja (18), Alagón (16), Saragossa-Portillo (15), Zuera (15), Benabarre (11), Huesca (10) and Saragossa-San Nicolás (8).
Remains of the doorway of the old convent (1606-1835) of Saint Nicholas of Toletine of the Augustinian Recollects in Calatayud (Saragossa, Spain). Correa Square.
There have been quite a few illustrious Aragonese Recollects. Four of them are blessed: Martín de San Nicolás, from Saragossa, martyr in Japan in 1632; and three of the seven Recollect martyrs in Motril (Granada, 1936): José Rada, from Tarazona; Vicente Pinilla, from Calatayud; and Vicente Soler, from Malón.
The first Recollect bishop in Colombia, specifically in Santa Marta, was Aragonese from the province of Teruel, Eugenio Sesé (1750-1803). He took the Recollect habit in El Portillo de Saragossa and in the Aragonese capital he was a theology professor until, at the age of 39, he left as a volunteer for the Philippines and began his missionary life.
Juan Gascón (1806-1884) was born in Cuevas de Cañart (Teruel). He was a renowned formator who is responsible for safeguarding Augustinian spirituality and the Recollect charism in the turbulent 19th century.
Fernando Cuenca (1824-1902), a native of Paracuellos de la Ribera (Saragossa), was the great promoter of the island of Negros, in the Philippines: thanks to his efforts, in less than 40 years the island went from irrelevance to first place in foreign trade, with its sugar representing 20% of Philippine exports in 1892.
Pío Mareca (1825-1899) was born in Fréscano (Saragossa). He became a very famous orator and a brilliant teacher.
Leandro Arrué (1837-1897) was born in Calatayud (Saragossa). He was the builder of the church of Bácong (Liloan, Sumag, Philippines), today the oldest and best preserved in Negros Oriental. In 1885 he was appointed Bishop of Jaro, one of the last Spanish bishops in the Philippines.
NEXT PAGE: 1907: Back in Saragossa
