Renacimiento 101: "Beato Vicente Soler"

Here is the very first old photo I coloured by the online app "Picmonkey.com". I got this photo of Blessed Vicente Soler, OAR from the OAR Heritage and History blog. Seeing sepia photo is truly such a nostalgia, but bringing them back to life is even a more exciting part. So I share to you this photo, hoping you like and love it. :D

Original photo

(from oarhistory.blogspot.com)

My coloured rendition

On the subject's history

At the outset of the Spanish Civil War in July of 1936, Father Vicente Soler, a poet and a friar of the Augustinian Recollects' monastery in Motril, Spain, told the nuns of the Recollects' convent in the same city, 

"Some of us will die and be martyrs, but after Good Friday comes the Resurrection." 

On July 25, five of Father Soler's fellow friars were executed, and a sixth was gunned down the next day. Father Soler evaded capture until he was betrayed to the authorities and arrested on July 29. Over the seventeen days that followed, he used his time in prison to pray with the other prisoners, leading them in a Marian novena, and hearing their confessions. He also won the conversion of an anti-religious Socialist. When at length prisoners were being singled out for execution, Father Soler offered to die in place of a father of eight children, but the exchange was refused, because Father Soler's name was already on the list of those condemned to death. On August 15, 1936, the solemnity of the Assumption, Father Soler was able to bless and absolve a number of others executed with him before his own execution (from the Catholic.org).

Fr Vicente Soler hid in the home of two young women until 29 July, but was betrayed and captured. He led prayers for his fellow prisoners, encouraged them, heard their confessions and converted the socialist Juan Antúnez. He was shot at dawn on 15 August with another 28 (from the EWTN.com).

Old Item 101: "Colección de Cánticos Sagrados”

One of the antique collections in my list is the 2^nd Volume of the "Colección de Cánticos Sagrados” [Collection of Sacred Hymns], compiled and composed by Reverend Father Fray Domingo Carceller, O.R.S.A.* in the year 1952. It is a compilation of his exquisite musical opus, most of which are hymns sung in the Holy Mass. One of them is the Himno Oficial del 33^ra Congreso Eucarístico Internacional [Official Hymn of the 33^rd International Eucharistic Congress] held in 1937 at the city of Manila.

There he also composed: several Latin and Spanish Hymns, five Mass Settings including his very own Missa Requiem, six (6) versions of Sálve Regina, two (2) versions of Rosario Cantado [Rosarium cum Cantu], two (2) Villancícos, five (5) Letanía Lauretana, five (5) Joseph, Fili David, and some hymns to Saints Augustine of Hippo, Rita of Cascia, Anthony of Padua, and songs to the Our Lady of Consolation, Immaculate Conception, five (5) Himnos a la Virgen del Carmen, three Ave Maria, his Despedida a la Virgen del Carmen and other more hymns and chants.

Fray Carceller dedicated this compilation to his Prior General, Fray Eugenio Ayape de San Agustín. Its Nihil Obstats are Frailes Constancio Peña [who gave the “Proemio” or Foreword] and Daniel Ayúcar, O.R.S.A., the Imprimi Potest Fray Simeon Asensio de San Gregorio Ostiense, O.R.S.A., and the Imprimatur el Vicario General, Monseñor José Jovellanos, H.P. in the 9^th of April, 1952.  

The book was printed in offset by Joaquin Clavano and binded by Siongco’s Binding Shop.

The first custodians of this book are the Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena (Philippines), in their first Generalate House at the Santa Catalína College (Calle Legarda, Sampaloc, Manila). It was discarded in the mid-2013 and I saw it included in the junks, so I saved it and kept it in my custody.

The Cover Page features one of the stain glasses of San Sebastian Church.

A glimpse of what's inside the book.

One of the Rosario Cantados

The book resting in an old 19th century piano

*this is the proto-title of the Augustinian Recollects (Ordinis Recolletorum Sancti Augustini), which is changed to “O.A.R.” (Ordinis Augustinianorum Recolletorum).