Trinitarians for freedom

The Order of the Holy Trinity and Captives is the oldest religious family. Founded by St John of Mata (1154-1213) in 1198, on 17 December, after the approval of Pope Innocent III. Its own Rule was deeply rooted in the Gospels and in the life of Jesus. Tradition has it that the priest John de Mata had a divine revelation in his first Mass, celebrated in Paris in 1193. At the moment of the consecration he was inspired to see Christ the Redeemer in the midst of two captives, one white, with a red and blue cross, and the other black, in an attitude of exchanging them. These two symbols have remained - and still remain - for 822 years and three days. 

The Trinitarian Rule written by hand by the founder is still preserved in Rome. Conventual life took on a clerical character and extended its mission in the manner of the hospitable orders for pilgrims and captives. Apostolic life, simplicity, equality among the brothers and special devotion to the Holy Trinity. Its philosophy is even simpler: "The Order devotes itself to helping believers who are persecuted, oppressed, imprisoned, condemned to forced labour or expelled into exile; moved by the force of charity - "ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est" - the Trinitarians come to the aid of the poor, the abandoned, those marginalized by society and those who suffer from slavery".  We are in the time of the Crusades and Islam imposes its "Sharia" on several countries of the Mediterranean. Spain had been invaded since the 8th century (711) and from the end of the 12th century would have another three centuries of struggle for its liberation (Granada, 1492). 

It is admirable to consider today the heroism of these Trinitarians, sons of Jean de Mata and Félix de Valois (co-founder) in the midst of the sacking of Constantinople (April 1204), massacring women, children and the elderly, burning churches and even destroying the basilica of Hagia Sophia. During the Fifth Crusade (1213), Christianity tried to reach Egypt, but the Christian kings did not succeed. Jerusalem would always be the desired city.

The Trinitarians, with the weapon of their faith, their humility and their patience, began to spread exponentially throughout the Romanised world preaching peace and helping the poorest of the poor - as Holy Mother Teresa did years later - whether Christians or Muslims. In fact, the founder himself is the bearer of a personal letter from Innocent III to Caliph Miramamolín, "Prince of the Believers", King of Morocco, urging him to free both Christians and Muslims from the dungeons, exchanged not for ransom but for the conviction that it is a good and true work for all. They are the vanguard of human rights and the rights of the people.

The letter signed at the Lateran was the best safeguard for the "liberators" of the Trinity because they also decided to allocate one third of all their present and future assets to saving lives. It is exciting to note that at the end of 1918, the Trinitarians Manuel Cánovas García (Algeciras, Cadiz, 1971) and Javier Evelio Díez (Almedina, Ciudad Real, 1979) opened a community in Al Hoceima, within the diocese of Tangier. Today, the new captives have a misnomer: migrants.

Few know that this order not only offered dialogue, equal exchanges of people and ransoms if relatives or rich people contributed money. On many occasions, it was the clergymen themselves who exchanged themselves for Christians or Muslims and offered themselves as hostages. The Trinitarians created hundreds of houses from Poland to Portugal via France, Ireland and Germany. Today they have a strong influence in the eastern United States and continue to preach and practice their pastoral mission from their headquarters in front of the Quirinal in Rome. Reforms and counter-reforms (shoes and bare feet) did not break the unity of their vows to the Rule of St. John of Mata. St. John the Baptist of the Conception, in the 16th century, initiated the necessary reform so that the spirit of the founder and the weight of the centuries would not break the philosophy of serving the most oppressed whoever they were, without distinguishing colour, nationality or religion. Today the Catholic Church has its faithful Trinitarian servants evangelizing South Korea and Madagascar: helping the unprotected in the most abandoned areas of Peru, and dressed in civilian clothes, with their red and blue cross in their pockets, they rescue slaves in Yemen or Nigeria. Their humanitarian work on both sides of the Strait has a meeting point: the Casa de Algeciras, the headquarters of Prolibertas.

But the French Revolution, Joseph Bonaparte in Spain, the Anglican persecution in Ireland, Central European Protestantism, the disentailment of the Church by Mendizábal and Madoz, National Socialism and Communism, wiped out almost the entire order. Too many martyrs then, as in the Civil War. Hundreds of churches still preserve the emblem of the cross, red and blue, which could well be considered the oldest logo in the history of communication and advertising.  

Scholars have not been able to give an approximate figure for redemptions and captives. But the Trinitarian historian Bonifacio Porres has recorded more than 250 redemptions and 35,000 captives up to the 18th century alone. Castile, Andalusia and Portugal were the territories that helped most in the redemption of captives. The most famous of those rescued is, without doubt, Don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, father of 'The ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha'. The Trinitarian cross on the monument in the Plaza de España in Madrid is proof of this and although it is known that he was buried in the Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians, his remains have not been found despite the efforts of the Madrid City Council. On 19 September 1580, Juan Gil, the redeemer general, managed to collect the 500 gold ducats demanded by the King of Algiers. The money was obtained thanks to the efforts of his mother and Don Miguel's sister, which were supplemented by the "third part" of the Trinitarians' assets. Christian merchants from the city also contributed with alms. 

Cervantes left his thanks to the Trinitarian parents in writing on several occasions. Many believe that it was the mercenaries who rescued him, but this is not true. They were the disciples of Juan de Mata, who personally founded the first Trinitarian House in Spain in Avingaña (Lérida) in 1201, three years after the Order was founded. Today, in our country, the most notable Trinitarian convents are those of Alcázar de San Juan, Valdepeñas, Córdoba, Virgen de la Cabeza, Seville, Madrid, Granada, Salamanca and Bilbao. The convents of the Trinitarian sisters are today spread throughout our country, Latin America and Europe. The Trinitarian laity confirms that the spirit of the founders is still alive 822 years and three days later.

The Trinitarians, because of their redemptive tradition, have been for decades - and continue to be - the chaplains of many Spanish prisons, always giving daily lessons in kindness, humility and patience. I cite one example I know of: Father José María Ledesma, from Aldeadávila de la Rivera, Salamanca, a classmate and yet a friend.

Another of the most significant facets has been that of teaching. Before the arrival of the concert, the seminars welcomed the children of rural Spain - the 1960s -. I remember the day that Father Antonio Moldón - one of the best people I have ever known - arrived at the school in my village, Aldehuela de la Bóveda, in the Charro countryside of Salamanca.  There he selected a few of us - almost all of us altar boys - to join the 1960-61 school year. Alcázar de San Juan was a crossroads to reach everywhere. We stopped for three minutes in Villacañas. Villacañas three minutes, emphasizing the factor in the heat of the mid-September night.

The important thing was to pass with good marks (more than 7) in order to be able to enjoy scholarships from the PIO (Principle of Equal Opportunities) the following year. How much the Church and the PIO had done so that we children of Roman ploughmen could arrive at university with plenty of knowledge! It has been a privilege to study with the Trinitarians: discipline, ethics, austerity, solidarity, honesty, humility and sport. These principles have kept us firm in our beliefs and moral convictions to lead a dignified life, without hatred, fear or resentment. Sincerely, thank you.

60 years later, many of the students who have passed through Alcázar de San Juan and Virgen de la Cabeza in Andújar (Jaén) maintain a fraternal and noble friendship that only an excellent institution like the Trinitarian one can give, always at the service of people. Although the coronavirus now prevents face-to-face meetings, the WhatsApps keep us together, above all, in the most serious moments.  It is a privilege to belong to this Trinitarian family that always has its doors wide open.

I conclude: Saint John Paul II told the Trinitarians - I read in our magazine - "that we had a long history to tell and an exciting future to build". Today the mission has not changed substantially because populism and totalitarianism are creating a new slavery without borders. Paul VI reminded us of the Trinitarians in 1975: "Why were you born? You were born for the liberation of people, of classes, of environments that did not enjoy freedom. Your formula has overcome all the tides and all the storms. Go on". After 822 years, the Order of the Most Holy Trinity continues on its silent path of humility and patience. The right path: redeeming the new captives of the 21st century.  For this mission initiated by St. John of Mata, there is no one left. Miguel Hernandez has already written: "For freedom, I bleed, I fight, I live..." Now, as this horrible year that has claimed thousands of innocent lives comes to an end, we are all indispensable. Glory to the Holy Trinity! 

Antonio Regalado runs BAHÍA DE ÍTACA at: aregaladorodriguez.blogspot.com