He was born (Jose Ample Alcaide) on February 3, 1896, in Vinalesa (Valencia) to Vicente Ample and Manuela Alcaide, the third of their seven children. He was baptized on the day after his birth, February 4, in the parish of St. Honoratus, and was confirmed on April 21, 1899. His first years of study were spent in the seraphic seminary at Massamagrell (Valencia). Clothed in the Capuchin habit in 1912, he made temporary profession on August 10, 1913, and was perpetually professed on December 18, 1917. He was later sent to Rome for furtherstudies, and was ordained priest in the Eternal City on March 26, 1921, by the Archbishop of Phili[[i, Jose Palica.

On his return to Spain, he was appointed director of the Capuchin philosophical and theological house of study at Orihuela (Alicante), an office he exercised with wisdom, to general satisfaction, until his death.

“Among the faithful he enjoyed a reputation of snactity” was the opinion of Do Pascual Ortells, a diocesan priest, “and he was also known for his wisdom. He faithfully observed all the obligations of the Franciscan Rule, and gave himself whioleheartedly to the task of helping his young charges to become perfect religious”

During the Spanish civil war of 1936, all the religious of the Orihuela friary were dispersed on July 13. Bro. Aurelio took refuge in his parents’ home at Vinalesa, where o August 28, he was captured by members of the militia and taken to the place of his death. Before being shot he exorted all his companions to die well, gave them absolution and then added: “Shout out loud: Long live Christ the King!”

He was killed on August 28, 1936. His body was buried in the cemetery at Foyos (Valencia), not far from where he was shot. After the Civil war, his remains wer exhumed and taken to the cemetery of Vinalesa on September 17, 1937. At the present time, they are interred in the Martyr’s chapel i the friary of the Magdalena at Massamagrell.

From the Moment of his capture, until his death, Bro. Aurelio remained inwardly unperturbed and totally faithful to Christ. “He kept his composure until the end” said Rafael Rodrigo, one of the witnesses of his martyrdom, “encouraging all of us who were about to die. When everything was ready for the execution he exhorted us to recite the act of contrition, which we did, and as the Servant of God was reciting the formula of absolution one of the militia slapped him twice. One member of the militia told his companion not to hit him anymore as it was not worth it since we had such a short time tolive. The Servant of God remained unflinching in the face of insults, and continued the abolution to the end. As soon as he had finished his sacred duty, a volley of shots rang out and we all fell to the ground, repeating with him the cry: “long live Christ the King!”.

Blessed Aurelio of Vinalesa of the Franciscan Capuchin Order from Valencia Spain is one of the thousands of Priests and religious martyred during the Spanish Civil War in 1936 for the hatred of the Faith. He and other Capuchin martyrs were beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 11, 2001 along with 240 other martyrs.