Saint Christopher Magallanes and Companions
Canonization: 2000, Pope John Paul II
St. Christopher Magallanes and his companions were 20th century martyrs during Mexico’s government-led persecution of Catholics in the early 1900s.
Christopher was a priest who lived under Mexico’s oppressive, anti-Catholic government which prohibited the practice of Catholicism. Christopher established a secret seminary, working in secret to bring the faith to Mexican Catholics. He and his 24 companions were a mix of priests and lay persons and they all belonged to the Cristero resistance movement, whose motto was “Viva Cristo Rey!” (Long Live Christ the King.) The band of martyrs were not all killed simultaneously, but their deaths were rather spread out from the years 1915-1928 when each was caught by the government
They were martyred by either shooting or hanging. Magellanes himself had these as his last words from prison: "I am innocent and I die innocent. I forgive with all my heart those responsible for my death, and I ask God that the shedding of my blood serve the peace of our divided Mexico."
Saint Christopher Magallanes and Companions, pray for us.