St. Christopher Magallanes

Caption

From 1915 to 1929, the Mexican government waged a violent persecution against the Catholic Church. Churches were closed. Priests were forbidden to wear cassocks in public, hold public processions, or even to gather the faithful. Many were hunted down and killed. Today the Church remembers twenty-five of those martyrs led by Fr. Cristóbal (Christopher) Magallanes, the parish priest of Totatiche. He had founded a clandestine seminary to keep training new priests when all the official ones had been shut down. He was arrested on his way to celebrate Mass at a ranch. His final words, spoken to his executioners: "I am innocent, and I die innocent. I forgive with all my heart those responsible for my death, and I ask God that the shedding of my blood serve the peace of our divided Mexico." He was canonized in 2000. The faithful in Mexico still cry: ¡Viva Cristo Rey! ...Long live Christ the King.