Saint Emmanuel the Good, Martyr

As Lázaro and Angela’s mother neared death, she expressed a desire for Don Manuel to convert Lázaro, hoping for a reunion in Heaven. Don Manuel reassured her, saying her spirit would remain with them and emphasizing God’s presence on earth. Privately, Don Manuel assured Angela that her mother’s peaceful passing represented her eternal life and encouraged Lázaro to pray for their mother, which he reluctantly did at her deathbed.

Following Lázaro’s mother’s death, Don Manuel and Lázaro grew close; they frequently walked by the lake, where Lázaro praised Don Manuel, sensing a hidden depth akin to the submerged city. Lázaro started attending Mass and eventually took communion—a moment that moved the village and prompted Angela’s gratitude toward her brother for uplifting Don Manuel. In fact, Lázaro confessed to Angela that his communion was for Don Manuel’s sake and in compliance with Don Manuel’s request that Lázaro feign belief and conceal his progressiveness. When Lázaro questioned Don Manuel about his own faith, Don Manuel’s tears revealed his struggle with disbelief. Lázaro saw Don Manuel not as self-serving but as a saint working for his people’s peace. This confession led Angela to question the morality of their actions, feeling betrayed by the deception practiced on their dying mother.