By Matthew Balan
Baltimore, Md., Jan 28, 2025 / 10:00 am
The Dicastery of the Causes of Saints has promulgated a decree recognizing five Spanish Franciscans as martyrs who were killed in 1597 for defending the sanctity of marriage. This announcement sets the stage for their beatification, known collectively as the “Georgia Martyrs.”
These missionaries, members of the Order of Friars Minor, were killed by members of the Guale tribe of Native Americans in Spanish Florida. The first martyr died on the feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross in 1597, and the third and fourth on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata.
Martyrs for the Gospel and for the sacrament of marriage
Father Pedro de Corpa, one of the Franciscans, rebuked a Christian convert for taking on a second wife, which violated his baptismal and wedding vows. This angered the convert, who then recruited warriors to raid the Franciscan missions. They killed de Corpa at the mission of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe near present-day Darien, Georgia.
The Guales then proceeded to kill Father Blas Rodríguez at Santa Clara, Father Miguel de Añon and Brother Antonio de Badajóz at Santa Catalina, and Father Francisco de Veráscola at his mission on St. Simon’s Island.
The Georgia Martyrs: A Story of Sacrifice and Faith
In the picturesque city of St. Augustine, Florida, a tragic event unfolded centuries ago that would leave a lasting impact on the history of the region. Five Franciscan missionaries, armed with supplies, set out on a mission only to be ambushed as they were exiting their canoe.
The Quest for Justice
Spanish colonial authorities launched an investigation into the death of the Georgia Martyrs upon their return to reestablish the missions. These brave missionaries had dedicated almost a century of their lives to ministering to the local tribes. However, the Spanish eventually abandoned the missions in 1686 due to the increasing influence of the British settlers in the area.
Fast forward over two centuries later, in 1941, when the bishops of the United States appealed to Pope Pius XII to honor 118 missionaries, including the five Franciscan martyrs. It took 39 years before Bishop Raymond Lessard of Savannah, Georgia, initiated the local process for the beatification of these courageous individuals, with the support of the Franciscans in the United States.
After a long journey, the Diocese of Savannah concluded the local phase of the process in 2007. Recently, in September 2022, the Dicastery for the Cause of Saints made a significant announcement, stating that the cause of beatification for Friar Pedro de Corpa and his companions had been approved and progressed. This remarkable development was reported by The Georgia Bulletin, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
