Georgia martyrs recognized: Died upholding dignity of marriage

While many are familiar with the North American Martyrs, in recent years new causes of canonization have been introduced to recognize the heroism of Spanish missionaries in the southern region of the United States.

One such cause centers on the Georgia Martyrs, a group of Spanish missionaries who were ministering to Indigenous people in what is the modern state of Georgia.

Pope Francis officially recognized the martyrdom of these missionaries on January 27, categorizing it as a martyrdom in odium fidei (in hatred of the faith).

The Dicastery of the Causes of Saints' website explains how, "The Venerable Servants of God, Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añón, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola, Spaniards of the Order of Friars Minor, in the 16th century agreed to be sent on a mission to North American territories driven by an authentic spirit of love for Christ and service to the Church."

They were sent to the, "Mission to the Guales, an Indigenous tribe stationed on the coast of today's territory of the American state of Georgia."

Initially they were well received and were able to preach the Gospel to the indigenous tribes.

However, everything changed when the sacrament of marriage was introduced.

It was customary for the missionaries to only administer the sacrament of baptism to those who would commit to a monogamous marriage, taking only one wife.

Generally this was accepted until a young man, who was to be chief, desired a second wife, as the Vatican website explains:

Shortly thereafter the remaining Franciscan missionaries were killed because of their desire to uphold the dignity of marriage.

Pope Francis' decree paves the way for these missionaries to be beatified.