Rome beatifies hundreds of fascists

The Vatican has held its largest even mass beatification ceremony elevating over 400 Catholics executed during the Spanish Civil War to whatever a beatified person becomes. Those so recognised were almost exclusively supporters of Generalissimo Franco whose forces were also responsible for hundreds of executions. None of these victims have as yet been recognised by the Church. Vatican spokesmen, and they will be men won't they, have said that the ceremony was held in the spirit of "reconciliation". Perhaps the word means something rather different in Italian.