Cristóbal Magallanes Jara

Who they were

From 1917 Mexico's anticlerical constitution brought the Church under growing persecution; on 31 July 1926 public worship was suspended across the country for the first time in 400 years. Lay Catholics took up arms in the Cristero rising, while most priests, though they refused violence, would not abandon their people.

Cristóbal Magallanes was born in 1869 at Totatiche near Guadalajara to a farming family. Ordained in 1888, he became parish priest of his home village, opened a mission to the Huichol people, and founded schools, an orphanage and a home for the elderly. Arrested, he was shot at Colotlán with companions; he told them, 'Be calm, brothers, only a moment and then heaven,' and died saying, 'I die innocent, and ask God that my blood may serve to unite my Mexican brothers.'

The miracles

As martyrs, he and his 24 companions - 21 priests and three laymen - were canonised together without the need of approved miracles.

Why that counted as sanctity

Cristóbal Magallanes stayed with his people when it meant death, served them in prayer, schools and charity, and died praying that his blood would bring his divided country together.

Connected on this site

• Agustín Caloca Cortés Saint
  “Cristóbal Magallanes Jara (anglicized as Christopher Magallanes; July 30, 1869 – May 25, 1927) was a Mexican Catholic priest and martyr who was killed without trial on the way to say Mass during the Cristero War.” — Wikipedia