On June 26, 1975, St. Josemaria gave up his soul to God after suddenly collapsing on entering the room where he worked. He passed away with the same simplicity that had characterized his life. The fame of the heroic virtues of St. Josemaria soon extended around the world, and countless people turned to his intercession, […]

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Following the close of the Second Vatican Council, St Josemaria engaged in catechetical activity preaching the faithful implementation of the Council’s teaching. He not only received numerous visitors in Rome, but also traveled widely around Europe and America (1970, 1972, 1974, 1975). These journeys enabled him to meet with thousands of people to whom he […]

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In 1959 the recently elected Pope St John XXIII convened an ecumenical council: the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). St Josemaria followed the council enthusiastically praying and asking the members of Opus Dei to pray for its success. Some of his spiritual sons participated in the council, among them his closest collaborator, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo. […]

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The end of World War II (1945) made it possible to think about the universal expansion of Opus Dei, which had already begun, albeit in a limited way to Portugal and Italy. This expansion meant being subject to pontifical rather than diocesan authority, and so, in 1946 St Josemaria moved to Rome, settling there until […]

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The Spanish Civil War slowed the expansion of Opus Dei but strengthened the vocations of many its first members who eagerly began the apostolic development of Opus Dei at the war’s conclusion. The 1940’s witnessed a strong growth of Opus Dei, which in a short time was established in several of the major Spanish cities. […]

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In 1935, although there were hardly more than a dozen members of Opus Dei, St Josemaria contemplated its expansion from Madrid to other Spanish cities. The start of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, however, made it impossible to carry out these plans immediately. During the time the conflict lasted, St Josemaria carried on with […]

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In the spring of 1927 St Josemaria, with his mother, sister, and brother, moved to Madrid where he could pursue a doctorate in law. In addition to his studies, from 1927 to 1931, he served as Chaplain of the Foundation for the Sick where he cared for the poor and abandoned, and where he personally […]

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In 1918 St. Josemaria began his ecclesiastical studies at the Diocesan Seminary of Logroño, and in 1920 he continued on to the (major) Seminary of San Carlos in Zaragoza. During his seminary years, St. Josemaria strengthened his spiritual formation through frequent reading and personal prayer. On many nights he spent long hours before the Blessed […]

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Saint Josemaria Escriva was born in Barbastro, Spain on January 9, 1902, and baptized on January 13, 1902. His parents, Jose Escriva and Dolores Albas, were faithful and pious Christians who introduced their children step by step to the Christian way of life. His father was a textile merchant and his mother was entirely devoted […]

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