Marcelo Spínola was born on the island of San Fernando in Cádiz Province on 14 January 1835 at 6:00am.

He moved to Sanlúcar de Barrameda when his father was transferred to that city as chief of the port.

He decided to follow his sacerdotal vocation on the advice of Canon Diego Herrero y Espinosa de los Monteros and began to study theology at home.

[2] The cause of beatification commenced on 19 February 1956 under Pope Pius XII and began on a diocesan level in the Archdiocese of Seville.

This culminated with the decree of heroic virtue on 24 September 1983 in which Pope John Paul II bestowed upon him the title of Venerable.

John Paul II confirmed the miracle on 10 November 1986 and it led to his beatification on 29 March 1987.