St. John de Brito died on this day in 1693. He had devised a way to work with various castes in India.
St. John de Brito, priest; , St. Paul Denn, Remy Isore, and Modeste Andlauer, Bl. Rudolph Acquaviva, priest,and companions;
Saint John de Brito, Priest; Blessed Rudolph Acquaviva, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (Martyrs in India) (Optional Memorial)
John de Brito (1647-1693) was born in Lisbon, Portugal. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1662, and after his priestly ordination in 1673 he was sent to India. His ministry was directed mainly to high caste Hindus – the Brahmins. He founded a number of Catholic communities in the Madura Mission in South India, Eventually, some antagonistic Brahmins pressured the rulers into executing him, and he was beheaded in Oriyur in 1693. – Rudolph Acquaviva, Alphonsus Pacheco, Anthony Francisco, Peter Berno and Francis Aranha, were Jesuit missionaries from Europe working in Salcette, South Goa, in India, during the sixteenth century. In July 1583, accompanied by a dozen Indian Christians, they went to Cuncolim to plant a cross to mark the site for a new church. Unfortunately they had chosen a spot where a temple had stood until the previous year, when the Portuguese had destroyed it as a punitive measure. The non-Christian residents, who had been secretly watching them, attacked them with weapons, killing them all.
1566
In South Africa, Ven. Father Goncalvo da Silveira, martyr, set out for the kingdom of Monomotapa.
1571
In Florida, the martyrdom of Fr. Luis Quiros and two novices, Juan Mendez and Gabriel Solis. About four days later, five others were killed. This was an unsuccessful entrance into the USA. It was 36 years before the English settlers at Jamestown.
1617
An Imperial edict banishes missionaries from China.
1693
The martyrdom in India of St. Joan de Brito, born into the Portuguese aristocracy and a member of the royal court, who devised a method of working with various castes in India.
1986
Pope John Paul II visits St. Xavier College, Calcutta, speaks of dialogue and service.
1996
The death of Br. Joseph Auger, S.J.,age 86. He served for 57 years in the Jesuit Curia in Rome.
