
Five Spanish Franciscan missionaries, Father Pedro de Corpa, Father Blas Rodríguez, Father Miguel de Añon, Brother Antonio de Badajóz and Father Francisco de Veráscola were martyred in 1597 in the present-day state of Georgia.
This week Pope Francis approved the cause of five Georgia martyrs, Pedro de Corpa and Companions. The “cause” is a formal effort to recognize and officially declare saints. This process is laborious, and it takes many years, if not many generations. Consequently, this is huge news for Catholics here in the South. We hope to soon have Georgians among the rolls (or canon) of the official saints recognized in Rome and around the world