Saint Cristobal Magallanes & Companion Martyrs –Image: Pierced Hearts
Born into a farm family in 1869 in Mexico Totatiche, Cristobal (or Christopher) worked as a shepherd during his youthful days according to SQPN entering the seminary at Guadalajara at the age of nineteen.
In 1899 at the Church of St. Teresa of Guadalajara, Cristobal was Ordained a Priest according to Pierced Hearts and was given the responsibility of Chaplain, Vice Principal of a school of arts and trades in Guadalajara.
For 17 years Fr. Cristobal worked in the Parish of Totalice, establishing Catechism centers and schools for those living in the countryside, together with constructing a dam to aid irrigation, founded homes for orphans, together with organizing a program of small plots of lands were provided to help poor farmers, which the government of Mexico had instituted and enforced laws against the Church in an absurd attempt to eradicate Catholicism, going so far as to ban all foreign clergy and the celebration of the Mass.
On this date in 1927 Fr. Cristobal went to celebrate a religious feast on a local ranch where a fight ensued between the Cristeros and federal Roces commenced by General Goni — Fr. Cristobal was arrested and taken to Totalice, where he was imprisoned together with his Vicar Fr. Caloca, subsequently the pair were moved to the municipal palace in Colotitlan to face execution where Fr. Cristobal said:
“I am innocent and I die innocent. I forgive the authors of my death from my heart and ask God that my blood would serve to bring peace to divided Mexicans.”
Fr. Cristobal together with 21 other Priest and 3 Lay-Companions were Martyred in Mexico, between 1915 and 1937 by either an assassins bullet or hanging.
In 1992 Fr. Cristobal was Beatified and 73 years to the day of his execution/martyrdom he was Canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II
More here from Franciscan Media
Related: Holy Scripture Readings on the Memorial of St. Cristobal Magallanes & Companions -USCCB