Five Spanish Friars Slain in 1597 to Be Beatified in Savannah

The Catholic Diocese of Savannah is preparing for a major religious gathering to honor five Spanish missionaries who died in 1597. On Saturday, the diocese will hold a beatification ceremony for the friars, a process that elevates them to the rank of blessed.

Bishop Stephen Parkes, who leads the Savannah diocese, stated that the event marks the sixth such ceremony in the United States. Due to high anticipated attendance, the Mass will take place at the city’s convention center rather than a traditional church. Organizers expect 10,000 people to attend, including bishops from Spain, Rome, and Africa.

The Vatican approved the beatification last year after confirming that the missionaries were martyred while defending Christian values. The process had been underway for decades, involving extensive research and bureaucratic review. In January 2025, Pope Francis signed a decree recognizing the friars as martyrs shortly before his death.

The five men were members of the Franciscan Order who arrived in present-day Georgia in the late 16th century. At that time, the region was part of Spanish Florida. They ministered to the Guale, an Indigenous chiefdom located in coastal villages. The friars lived in the communities for about two years, establishing churches and providing assistance such as iron tools for farming.

The relationship turned violent on September 14, 1597. According to historical records, an argument arose over marriage practices. Friar Pedro de Corpa admonished a baptized Guale man named Juanillo for planning to take a second wife, a practice allowed under Guale tradition. De Corpa argued that polygamy violated God's law.

Juanillo subsequently led a group of warriors to de Corpa’s hut. They killed the friar with stone clubs. In the days that followed, Guale warriors attacked other nearby missions and killed four more friars: Blas Rodriguez, Miguel de Anon, Antonio de Badajoz, and Francisco de Verascola.

Historians note that the killings occurred during a complex period of Spanish colonization. John Worth, a historical archaeology professor at the University of West Florida, explained that the friars acted like ambassadors to the Guale. He said they helped the Indigenous people navigate the Spanish system while simultaneously expecting conversion to Christianity.

RaeLynn Butler, secretary of culture and humanities for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, provided context on the historical relationship. She stated that the events of 1597 happened while Indigenous peoples struggled to preserve their sovereignty and cultural traditions. Butler noted that the history of the Guale people extends far beyond the specific incident of the friars' deaths.

Some historians have questioned whether the friars were the primary targets of the attacks. They suggest the killings may have resulted from a power struggle between Guale political rivals. Motive was a key factor in the Vatican's review, as beatification without a miracle requires proof of martyrdom at the hands of religious persecutors.

The case for beatification began in the 1950s when U.S. bishops proposed the missionaries as candidates. The Diocese of Savannah became involved in 1984. In 2007, a Franciscan historian transported a nearly 500-page report to Rome in a sealed box. The Vatican committees reviewed the records for nearly 20 years before granting approval. To advance toward sainthood, evidence of a resulting from prayers to the friars would be required.