Did you know the Catholic Church is gaining new blesseds this weekend?
Coming just on the heels of the beatification of Blessed Fulton Sheen, five Catholic priests will receive the title on Saturday!
400 years after laying down their lives in the American wilderness, these five 16th-century Franciscan missionaries are officially being elevated to blesseds.
Recognized for their ultimate witness to Christ, the Georgia Martyrs offer a powerful testimony to peace, cultural harmony, and upholding the sacrament of marriage.
Here are five key things to know about these soon-to-be-blesseds and their historic beatification:
1. A Historic Mass Is Coming to Savannah
On October 31, an estimated 12,000 faithful will gather at the Savannah Convention Center in Georgia for a historic Beatification Mass. Led by Cardinal Frank Leo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto serving as Papal Legate, the ceremony falls appropriately on All Hallows’ Eve. For those unable to travel to Georgia, the liturgy will be broadcast live nationwide on EWTN.
2. They Practiced Peaceful Integration, Not Coercion
As Spanish missionaries, the friars lived alongside the indigenous Guale people as guests in their existing villages without the backing of Spanish soldiers. The missionaries — Father Pedro de Corpa, Father Blas Rodríguez, Father Miguel de Añon, Brother Antonio de Badajóz, and Father Francisco de Veráscola — learned the local language, respected the community, and integrated Christian and native motifs into daily life.
3. They Died Defending the Sanctity of Marriage
In September 1597, tension arose when Juanillo, a young Guale chief’s heir, sought to take a second wife. Father Pedro de Corpa stood firm in defending Christian teaching on monogamy and opposed Juanillo’s bid for succession. In response, Juanillo led a violent revolt, killing Father Pedro on September 14th, before hunting down the four other friars across the region.
Noting their incredible witness, Savannah Bishop Stephen D. Parkes wrote:
“In our society today, marriage and family life are threatened by continued moral decline and broken social structures. The concept of fidelity in marriage is often shattered by a general lack of commitment. The Georgia Martyrs gave their lives to ensure that in subsequent generations, men and women could seek holiness through the vocation of marriage.”
4. Their Canonization Cause Spans Decades of Effort
The path to recognized sainthood was a long journey led by dedicated Church leaders and historians.
1941: The U.S. bishops formally petitioned Pope Pius XII to beatify the missionaries.
1950: The cause officially began with the appointment of Franciscan Father Marion Habig as the first vice-postulator.
1981: Bishop Raymond W. Lessard of the Diocese of Savannah formally accepted the Franciscan petition and opened the diocesan process.
Modern Advances: Leaders like Atlanta Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, (during his tenure as Bishop of Savannah) and current Savannah Bishop Stephen D. Parkes continued pushing the cause forward, culminating in January 2025 when Pope Francis authorized the decree recognizing their martyrdom.
5. Their Witness Calls for Strengthening Marriage Today
Beyond their historic sacrifice, the friars leave a living legacy for the modern Church. As we remember these soon-to-be-blesseds, we join in this prayer that Bishop Parkes calls us to as we remember their witness to the beauty of marriage:
“I pray that the message of their heroic martyrdom may resonate with those preparing to enter into a sacramental marriage and with those who have already entered into a covenantal bond. May the martyrs’ sacrifice help generations to uphold the sanctity and beauty of holy matrimony.”