They declare martyrs to 5 Spanish Franciscans who defended the marriage

This Monday, the Vatican promulgated the decree who recognizes the martyrdom of the servants of God Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añón, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola, Franciscan missionaries killed by hate to faith in September 1597.

These future blessed, originally from Spain, were killed by indigenous people of the “Guale” tribe during a revolt in the Mission of Tolomato, in Florida, a territory that currently corresponds to the state of Georgia, United States. The friars defended the monogamous marriage, as opposed to the polygamy of some tribe members.

A testimony of fidelity to Christ in the New World

The five martyrs, members of the order of the minor friars, departed from Spain in the 16th century to bring the message of the Gospel to North America, entering into unknown lands, facing cultural challenges and dangers that could cost them life.

Fr. Pedro de Corpa, born in the Diocese of Madrid-Alcalá in 1560, led the mission in the town of Tolomato, where he faced a clear cultural conflict. Indigenous Guales, among those who preached, practiced polygamy, a custom that missionaries approached teaching the Catholic doctrine of monogamous marriage. Converts were given baptism only under the commitment to respect this teaching.

According to Official Site of Dicastery for the Cause of Saintsthe conflict reached its critical point when Juanillo, nephew of the local chieftain and his successor, decided to take a second wife. According to the Vatican site, Fr. Pedro tried to correct him, “remembering the commitment acquired with his baptism, but became aggressive and attacked him, killing him with an ax in September 1597.”

After the death of Fr. Pedro, the violence extended to the other missionaries. Fr. Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, superior of the mission in Tupiquí, was captured, tortured and killed on September 16. Fr. Miguel de Añón and Fr. Antonio de Badajoz, were killed the next day after having celebrated the Eucharist. For his part, Fr. Francisco de Veráscola, was attacked to axes on September 18.

Recognition to sacrifice for faith

The Vatican website emphasizes that these martyrs gave their lives to defend the Catholic doctrine. According to the Dicasterio for the causes of the saints: “The explicit and immediate testimony of fidelity to Christ and his message is clearly recognizable in their murders because they had fully transmitted the teaching of the Church.”

Since his death, the fame of the martyrdom of the five Franciscans extended, becoming a source of inspiration for Catholics in America and Spain. In the words of Dicastery: “The first proof of the will to give life to the Lord was included in the election made of abandoning Spain and going as a missionaries to a land still partly unknown.”

“Immediately after his death the fame of martyrdom extended, which continued to grow in the following years, rooting in the territory and memory of the brothers,” the Dicastery concluded.