Bl. Ignacio de Azevedo

Bl. Ignacio de Azevedo

Born at Oporto, Portugal, 1528; died near Palma, one of the Canary Islands, 15 July, 1570. He entered the Society of Jesus at Coibra, 28 December, 1548, and became successively rector of the Jesuit college at Lisbon, provincial of Portugal, and rector at Broja. St. Francis Borgia, soon after his election as superior general of the Society, appointed Ignacio visitor of the missions of Brazil. After three years of arduous labour in that country he returned to Rome, but asked to be sent back as missionary to Brazil. With thirty-nine companions he started on his voyage, but was seized and martyred by Huguenot pirates near the island of Palma. The forty martyrs were beatified on 11 May, 1854.

LEO A. KELLY