Fandila

Saint Fandila was a monk, priest and abbot of the Córdoba region, put to death for Christ in 853. He is commemorated on 14 June.

He was born at Guadix, studied at Córdoba, embraced monastic life and withdrew to the monastery of Tábanos. A model of virtue, he was called by the monks of Peñamelaria, who asked for him as abbot and had him ordained priest to set him over the double community of monks and nuns. The emir Muhammad I, who set out to complete the persecution of Christians begun by his father, Abd al-⁠Rahman II, had most of the churches demolished, laid new taxes on Christians and drove out of his palace those who served him. Trials and beheadings multiplied. Fandila went to the courts and threatened the judges with the judgments of God. He was arrested on the spot and condemned to beheading for speaking of the false prophet of the religion of the Moors. On the same day Saint Anastasius and Saint Felix, a monk of Asturias, who had publicly refuted the errors of the Koran, were also beheaded.