The IERE experienced persecution during the regime of General Francisco Franco. Prior to Franco's regime, beginning in the 1850s, the majority of the residents of Villaescusa belonged to the Episcopal Church, but, in 1936, the Franco government seized the church's building and the congregation declined. In 1954, Santos M. Molina was consecrated as a bishop. The consecration took place behind closed doors at his parish in Seville. The ordaining bishops were from Meath in Ireland, and two bishops from the Episcopal Church (United States)—Bishop Reginald Mallett from the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana and Bishop Stephen Keeler from the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota. Under Molina the church experienced a resurgence. During the episcopate of Molina the IERE signed agreements of intercommunion with numerous provinces of the Anglican Communion, including Episcopal Church (United States), the Church of Ireland, the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Anglican Church of South Africa, the Episcopal Church of the Philippines, and the Old Catholic Church.