Vicente Soler was a Spanish Catholic priest and friar belonging to the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Born in Malon in 1867, he served as a missionary in the Philippines before returning to Spain in 1906. He eventually rose to the position of Prior General of his order in 1926. During the Spanish Civil War, he was arrested by republican authorities and later executed in Motril, making him one of the martyrs of Motril.
Life and service
After taking his religious vows in 1883, Soler traveled to the Philippines to serve as a missionary. Following his return to Spain, he dedicated himself to pastoral work in Motril, where he supported the poor and established an evening school for laborers. In 1926, he assumed leadership of his religious order as the Prior General.
Martyrdom and veneration
During the conflict of the Spanish Civil War, Soler was imprisoned and provided confession to fellow inmates. He was killed by firing squad on August 15, 1936. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 7, 1999, alongside other martyrs from Motril. The Catholic Church commemorates him on May 5.