The Day the Bells Rang Out is the first book of a compelling, three-volume biography of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei. Covering the early years of his life, The Day the Bells Rang Out reads like a thriller. But it is much more than a breathtaking adventure. This is the story of a fugitive priest at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, caught up in the bloodbath of the religious persecution in which thousands of priests were slaughtered. Through the personal notes of Josemaría Escrivá we experience the terror unfolding day by day. Amid the chaos and horror we are given vivid glimpses into the soul of a man striving for sanctity in a violent and troubled world. And all the while this priest, who had earlier received a vision from God, was spreading the most important spiritual message of our time – that holiness is not just for priests and nuns but also for ordinary men and women, who can become saints through their everyday lives and work. Josemaría Escrivá was himself made a saint when Pope John Paul II canonized him on October 6, 2002. Read Less