Saint Pedro Calungsod |
|
---|---|
Lay Catechist and Martyr | |
Born | July 21, 1654 Visayas, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
Died | April 2, 1672 Tumon, Guam, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
(aged 17)
Venerated in | Catholic Church |
Beatified | March 5, 2000, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II |
Canonized | October 21, 2012, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI |
Major shrine | Cebu Archdiocesan Shrine of Saint Pedro Calungsod, Archbishop's Residence Compound, 234 D. Jakosalem St., Cebu City 6000 PH |
Feast | April 2 |
Attributes | Martyr's palm, spear, bolo, Catechism book, Rosary, Christogram, Crucifix |
Patronage | Filipino youth, Catechumens, altar boys, the Philippines, Overseas Filipino Workers, Guam, Cebuanos, Visayans, Archdiocese of Cebu |
Saint Pedro Calungsod (Latin: Petrus Calungsod, Italian: Pietro Calungsod; July 21, 1654 – April 2, 1672), also known as Peter Calungsod and Pedro Calonsor, was a Roman Catholic Filipino migrant, sacristan and missionary catechist who, along with the Spanish Jesuit missionary Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom in Guam for their missionary work in 1672.
While in Guam, Calungsod preached Christianity to the Chamorro people through catechism, while baptizing infants, children and adults at the risk and expense of being persecuted and eventually murdered. Through Calungsod and San Vitores' missionary efforts, many native Chamorros converted to Roman Catholicism.
Calungsod was formally beatified on March 5, 2000, by Pope John Paul II. Calungsod was officially canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on October 21, 2012.
Few details of the early life of Calungsod (spelled Calonsor in Spanish records) are known. Historical records do not mention his exact birthplace or birth date and merely identified him as "Pedro Calonsor, el Visayo". Historical research identifies Ginatilan in Cebu, Hinunangan and Hinundayan in Southern Leyte, and the Molo district of Iloilo City as possible places of origin; Loboc, Bohol also makes a claim. Of these claims, the ones from Molo, Iloilo and Ginatilan, Cebu are considered the strongest.