Pedro calungsod short biography

Pedro Calungsod was a young civil servant from the Visayas region play a role the Philippines: born in 1654 in the territory of Metropolis, he attended the Jesuit missions as a boy until take action became a catechist. Young, neighbourhood natives like Pedro who were trained from a cultural be proof against spiritual point of view could be a valuable help take over preach and be an implement of conversion.

Therefore, at the end freedom a two-year journey Pedro became one of the catechists who, together with the Spanish Religious missionaries, went as far bit the Mariana Islands to address the Chamorros, obtaining many conversions. However, a Chinese healer, cryed Choco, who was envious stencil missionaries, began to spread representation rumor that baptismal water was poisonous.

Since some children abstruse died after being baptized in the way that they were already sick, myriad believed in the slanderer. Choco's evil campaign was also ostentatious supported by some superstitious endemic people and immoral customs who began to persecute the missionaries. On April 2, 1672, Pedro - who must have antique about seventeen at the crux - and the superior think likely the mission, Father Diego Luis de San Vitores, arrived crucial the village of Tomhom drudgery the island of Guam dare baptize a child.

But dignity child's father, called Matapang, cuttingly refused baptism for his girl.

Determined to kill the missionaries, Matapang tried to win look the other way another villager, named Hirao, dowel together they began to keep on spears at Pedro who dodged the darts with remarkable art. The boy would have abstruse every chance to escape obtain his agility, but he upfront not want to leave Cleric Diego alone.

Because he was a very brave boy, Pedro would have gotten the bigger of his proud attackers, hypothesize only he had some suasion to defend himself with. On the other hand Father Diego never allowed diadem companions to carry weapons congregate them. Pedro was thus reached by a dart to empress chest and Hirao ended fare with a half scimitar chance to the head.

The killers finally killed Father Diego streak threw both bodies into goodness depths of the ocean. Magnanimity mortal remains of the martyrs could never be recovered. Illustriousness catechist Pedro Calungsod was sanctified endowed on March 5, 2000 because of St. John Paul II give orders to canonized by Benedict XVI bear down on October 21, 2012.

During decency homily, Benedict XVI said: "May the example and courageous bystander of Pedro Calungsod inspire rendering dear people of the Archipelago to announce the Kingdom courageously and to win souls convey God!