Emilio Huidobro was a Spanish layman born in 1917 in Villaescusa de Butrón. After losing both parents, he was raised in the Patronato de San José, where he eventually taught geometry. During the Spanish Civil War, he chose to remain with his mentor, the teacher and priest Valentín Palencia, rather than avoiding arrest. This decision led to his death in Ruiloba in 1937. He is recognized as a martyr for his refusal to renounce his faith.
Life and death
Raised by his maternal grandfather following the death of his mother, Huidobro lived at the Patronato de San José. He became an instructor of geometry at the institution. When summoned to testify at the Casa del Pueblo in Suances, he declined the opportunity to escape arrest, opting instead to share the fate of Valentín Palencia. He was killed in January 1937 at Monte Tramalón.
Beatification
In 2015, Pope Francis issued a decree recognizing Valentín Palencia and four companions as martyrs. On April 23, 2016, Huidobro was beatified in the Burgos Cathedral. The ceremony was led by Cardinal Angelo Amato on behalf of the Pope. He was honored alongside Valentín Palencia and three other youths, Donato Rodríguez, Germán García García, and Zacarías Cuesta, who died for their religious convictions.