Georgia bishop leads pilgrimage to site of Franciscans' martyrdom

Published: 2007-09-26

SAVANNAH, Ga. (CNS) -- Savannah Bishop J. Kevin Boland led a pilgrimage to one of the Georgia barrier islands where five Spanish Franciscan friars were slain 410 years ago in defense of their Christian faith. The five men were killed in 1597 at their missions in what is today Georgia by Guale Indians because the priests would not sanction bigamous marriages among baptized Christians. Bishop Boland commemorated the anniversary of their deaths with a Mass on St. Catherines Island Sept. 15, two days before the 410th anniversary of the deaths of Father Miguel de Anon and Brother Antonio de Badajoz on the island. The other three were Fathers Pedro de Corpa, Blas de Rodriguez and Francisco de Verascola. The martyrs' anniversaries are Sept. 14, 16 and 17. The five Franciscans came from Spain to bring Christianity to the Guale Indians. The friars ran four missions. A crisis arose when a young Indian brave named Juanillo, a baptized and married Christian, decided to take a second wife. He conspired with unbaptized Guales to murder the five friars because they opposed his plans.

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