Saint Emmanuel the Good, Martyr

Angela, confused by Don Manuel’s request that she pray for everyone, confronted him. When she reached the prayer line about sinners, she questioned why people are labeled as such. Don Manuel tenderly addressed her as a daughter, explaining that existence itself is their greatest sin and that death serves as the only remedy.

As Don Manuel faced his final moments, he was not isolated but surrounded by his congregation, to whom he continued imparting his wisdom. Prior to this, he summoned Lázaro and Angela to his residence, charging them with the welfare of his parishioners and the preservation of their faith. He advised Lázaro and then Angela to embrace a faithful demise within the Church’s embrace. In response to Angela’s mourning, Don Manuel attempted to console her by confessing his lifelong yearning for death. He requested a coffin crafted from walnut wood planks, sourced from a tree that he associated with his innocent and faith-filled youth. He shared a reflective analogy, likening his reluctance to recite the Apostles’ Creed’s conclusion to Moses’s experience. Moses was shown the promised land but forbidden entry alongside his people and died in obscurity.

Don Manuel appointed Lázaro as his successor, advising him to shield their people from seeking divine truth.