Can someone recognize God without ever having heard His name?
Father Federico Highton recounts the remarkable testimony of an 80-year-old woman who, upon seeing a cross for the first time, asked to hear the story of this unknown God.
The priest, founder of the Order of Saint Elijah, has dedicated his life to bringing the Gospel to remote places where the name of Jesus has not yet been proclaimed. From the mountains of Bhutan to rescuing enslaved people in Pakistan, he has traveled the world as a missionary, spreading the Word of God.
In an interview with the Pontifical Mission Societies, he explained what first encounters with communities that have never heard of Christ are usually like. He also shared a powerful experience from Bhutan—a nation between China and India—that vividly reflects the action of the Holy Spirit.
During their mission, Father Highton and a French volunteer traveled through villages dressed in traditional local clothing. They carried a large cross, brought from Spain, and went from house to house proclaiming the message of Jesus.
On one of those visits, they entered the home of an elderly woman, about 80 years old. Because they did not speak the same language, a guide served as their translator.
“We entered with the large cross of Christ crucified, and the woman suddenly said, ‘Tell me the story of that God.’”
Encouraged by her openness, they began to share the Catholic faith with her.
What makes this moment so striking is that the woman had never heard the name of Jesus, nor was she familiar with Christianity. Yet upon seeing the image of a man on the cross, she somehow recognized Him as God. How is this possible?
For Father Highton, the answer is clear: it is the Holy Spirit who acts first in the soul, preparing the heart even before any explicit proclamation of the Gospel.
“Beginnings are often extraordinary, because the Holy Spirit is the true protagonist of the mission; we are merely supporting actors,” he said.