Five Franciscan Friars on Path to Sainthood After Brutal Murders
In the late 16th century, five Franciscan friars who journeyed from Spain to what is now Georgia met a tragic fate. They were murdered, it appears, for defending the sanctity of marriage.
Friar Fred Nijem notes that, according to Fr. Conrad Harkins, an Associate Pastor involved in the cause for the Georgia Martyrs, the missionaries were killed near modern-day Darien. They lost their lives because they resisted allowing Catholic parishioners to take multiple wives, which was a significant challenge in the community at the time.
As Nijem recounts, “They gave clear and immediate testimony of their allegiance to Christ.”
The monks lived among local Indigenous groups along the Guale Territory coastline for several years, diligently learning their language, spreading the Gospel, and welcoming many into the Christian faith.
One of their converts was a man named Juanillo, who would eventually become a tribal chief. However, tensions escalated when Friar Pedro de Colpa opposed Juanillo’s intentions to take a second wife. This disagreement, if I remember correctly, was perhaps not fully understood by Juanillo, which led to significant conflict.
Nijem elaborates that after leaving the mission, Juanillo returned at night to assault the friar. Pedro was killed, and, tragically, the other four missionaries met a similar fate. The Guale people, it seems, had decided to eliminate those “pesky monks” who stood in the way of their way of life.
All the friars were killed, except for Friar Francisco de Ávila, who was captured and tortured. It wasn’t until ten months later that Governor St. Augustine managed to secure his release. Despite suffering greatly, de Ávila chose not to testify against his captors, prioritizing their lives over his own safety.
In recognition of the friars’ sacrifice, Pope Francis, before his death, acknowledged them as martyrs who were killed out of hatred for their faith. Recently, the Vatican announced that the Georgia martyrs—Pedro de Colpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añón, Francisco de Velascola, and Lay Brother Antonio de Badajoz—will be beatified in a ceremony set for October 31 in Savannah, Georgia.
The announcement noted that the friars were fully aware of the risks they faced, yet they remained steadfast in their faith and dedicated to the teachings of the Church.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops describes saints as individuals in heaven—whether formally canonized or not—who led virtuous lives or were martyred for their beliefs, serving as examples for all Christians.
In the Church’s recognition process, becoming a saint involves several steps. First, a candidate’s virtuous life or martyrdom must be acknowledged by the pope, giving them the title of “venerable.” The second stage, beatification, requires a miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession. Finally, canonization requires another miracle.
Interestingly, there are instances where the pope can waive certain requirements, especially concerning martyrs, so it’s not strictly necessary to have a miracle before beatification, though one is needed for canonization.
