Blessed Ceferino Jimenez Malla

Also known as

• El Pele
• Zefyrinus Giménez Malla

Memorial

• 9 August

Profile

Lifelong layman. He had little education, and was possibly illiterate, but his native intelligence was obvious to all who knew him, and he was known for his love of nature. Baptised into the Church as an adult. Married to Teresa Jimenez Castro in 1912 at age 51. Adoptive father of his niece Pepita. He became a mule-trader around 1920, and did so well he was able to settle in the town of Barbastro as a successful businessman. Widower in 1922. City councilman in Barbastro. Catechist, Eucharistic minister, choir director and rosary leader, Ceferino developed a reputation for holiness, and people would be on their best behavior around him. Advisor to his bishop. Dominican tertiary in 1926. A Gitano (Spanish Gypsy), he worked to improve relations between Gypsies and non-Gypsies. He was arrested during the persecutions of the Spanish Civil War for hiding priests. He was offered his freedom if he would renounce his faith and throw away his rosary; he declined. Martyr.

Born

• 1861 in Benavent de Segria, Lérida Province, Catalonia, Spain

Died

• shot by firing squad on 8 August 1936 in the cemetery of Barbastro, Spain
• buried there in an unmarked grave
• after the war his body was exhumed and re-interred next to his wife

Venerated

• 17 December 1996 by Pope John Paul II (decree of martyrdom)

Beatified

• 4 May 1997 by Pope John Paul II
• first beatified Gypsy

Additional Information

• Hagiography Circle
• Kirken i Norge
• Vincentian Family Saints

MLA Citation

• “Blessed Ceferino Jimenez Malla”. Saints.SQPN.com. 21 October 2012. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/blessed-ceferino-jimenez-malla/>