Brief history of saint pedro calungsod
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When Pedro and a priest came to a village to baptize the chief’s daughter, they were killed by assassins. Pedro Calungsod was a Filipino lay catechist and missionary who was martyred in Guam at the age of 17, canonized for his devotion to spreading Christianity in the Pacific.
St. baptism), and through the ritual of Catholic Masses.
Growing up in a deeply Christian community, Pedro was drawn to the faith early in life. However, some people on the islands were wary of the newcomers. His youthful dedication and humble heart made him a beloved figure among the local community.
Tragically, on April 2, 1672, St. Pedro Calungsod was martyred along with a Jesuit priest, Fr.
Diego Luis de San Vitores, by a group of Chamorro rebels who had become hostile to the missionaries’ presence.
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Originally Collected and edited by: Tom Rochford, SJ
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His legacy continues to inspire millions, particularly in the Philippines, where he is a patron saint of young people and missionaries.
Saints and Holy People
Saint Pedro Calungsod (1654–1672)
Patron saint of Filipino youth, catechumens, altar boys, and the Philippines
Feast day: April 2
Pedro Calungsod was only 14 years old when he joined a group of Spanish missionaries who traveled from the Philippines to the Marianas Islands to teach the native people about God.
Pedro was a devout young man who served as a sacristan in the church. As a young man, he joined the Jesuit mission and traveled to the Mariana Islands, a group of islands in the Pacific, to assist in missionary work and to help catechize the native Chamorro people.
Pedro’s mission work focused primarily on educating the people about Christianity, often working alongside the Jesuit priests to spread the Gospel.
Through their efforts, many receive the sacraments especially that of baptism.
St. Pedro Calungsod
Saint Pedro Calungsod (c. 1654 – April 2, 1672) is a Filipino Roman Catholic martyr who was killed while doing missionary work in Guam in 1672. A plot to kill Pedro and San Vitores started when a certain Choco, a Chinese who gained influence over the Macanas of Marianas Island, circulated false accusations that the missionaries were spreading poison through the ritual of the pouring of water (i.e.
Unfortunately, Pedro fell victim to a group of people who feared that the missionaries were poisoning children with holy water.
The missionaries were sure he would be a good example for the young people on the islands. Pedro was beatified on March 5, 2000, by Pope John Paul II and was canonized on October 21, 2012, by Pope Benedict XVI. His canonization made him the second Filipino saint, following St. Lorenzo Ruiz. Pedro’s feast day is celebrated on April 2, the anniversary of his martyrdom.
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Pedro Calungsod’s life and death have become a powerful symbol of faith, missionary work, and courage in the face of adversity. He was beatified on March 5, 2000, by Pope John Paul II. As a skilled sacristan and teacher of cathecism, he was a companion of Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores to the Marianas Islands.
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Saint Pedro Calungsod
Saint Pedro Calungsod (Latin: Petrus Calungsod, Italian: Pietro Calungsod; (July 21, 1654 – April 2, 1672), also known as Peter Calungsod or Pedro Calonsor, is a Roman Catholic young Filipino Saint and was a migrant, sacristan and missionary catechist, who along with the Spanish Jesuit missionary, Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom in Guam for their missionary work in 1672.
Pedro Calungsod was born on July 21, 1654, in the Philippines, in a region known for its strong Catholic roots.