Saint of the Day: The Martyrs of Zenta

Priests and Martyrs (d. 1683)

Their story

+ Pedro Ortiz de Zárate was a widowed father who was ordained a priest in 1657 and dedicated himself to serving among indigenous peoples in Salta Province of Argentina. 

+ Giovanni Antonio Solinas was an Italian Jesuit priest who chose to serve as a missionary, first in Paraguay, and, later, in Argentina. 

+ On the morning of October 27, 1683, the two priests celebrated Mass with 18 local lay people (including some local converts to Christianity) at the San Miguel Fort in the Zenta Valley. During Mass, the chapel was attacked by a large group of local indigenous people who murdered the 20 Christians. 

+ Although the two priests were aware of the risks of continuing their mission, even as tensions between the local communities and Spanish colonizers continued to increase, they remained faithful to their mission. 

+ Because of a lack of historical sources, the cause for beatification of the 18 lay Christians had to be suspended by the Diocese of Orán, but Blessed Pedro and Blessed Giovanni were beatified in 2022. 

For prayer and reflection

“These two missionaries, who dedicated their life to the transmission of the faith and the defense of indigenous populations, were killed in 1683 because they brought the Gospel’s message of peace. May the example of these martyrs help us to bear witness to the Good News without compromise, dedicating ourselves generously to the service of the weakest.”—Pope Francis commenting on the beatification of Blessed Pedro Ortiz de Zárate and Blessed Giovanni Antonio Solinas

Spiritual bonus

On this day we also remember the monk Saint Odrian. Traditionally honored as an early bishop of Waterford, Ireland, he was among the first disciples of Saint Columba and became a monk in Columba’s monastery on the island of Iona. Saint Odrian died around the year 563. 

Prayer

We humbly beseech the mercy of your majesty, almighty and merciful God, that, as you have poured the knowledge of your Only Begotten Son into the hearts of the peoples by the preaching of the blessed Martyrs Pedro and Giovanni Antonio, so, through their intercession, we may be made steadfast in the faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal: Common of Martyrs—For Several Missionary Martyrs)
Saint profiles prepared by Fr. Silas Henderson, S.D.S