Banner by Filipino artist Rafael del Casal depicting Calungsod during the beatification rites in 2000. Vatican City.Blessed Pedro Calungsod was a 17-year old Roman Catholic Filipino migrant, sacristan and missionary catechist, who along with Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom on Guam for their missionary work in 1672. Through Calungsod and San Vitores' missionary efforts, many native catechumens converted to the Roman Catholic Church through the Sacrament of Baptism. Calungsod was beatified on 5 March 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II. On February 18, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially announced at Saint Peter's Basilica that Calungsod will be canonized on October 21, 2012
He came to Cebu to preach Christianity using the missionary text [[Doctrina Christiana ]] as propagated by the Dominican priests. He then studied at the Jesuit town of Loboc in Bohol before sailing on to Guam.
In 1668, Calungsod travelled with Spanish Jesuit missionaries to the Marianas Islands, named in honour of both the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the Queen Regent of Spain, MarÃa Ana of Austria, who funded their voyage. Calungsod and San Vitores went to Guam to catechise the native Chamorros. He was martyred in Guam.
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Regarding Calungsod's charitable works and virtuous deeds, Pope John Paul II declared:“ ...From his childhood, Pedro Calungsod declared himself unwaveringly for Christ and responded generously to his call. Young people today can draw encouragement and strength from the example of Pedro, whose love of Jesus inspired him to devote his teenage years to teaching the faith as a lay catechist. Leaving family and friends behind, Pedro willingly accepted the challenge put to him by Fr. Diego de San Vitores to join him on the Mission to the Chamorros. In a spirit of faith, marked by strong Eucharistic and Marian devotion, Pedro undertook the demanding work asked of him and bravely faced the many obstacles and difficulties he met. In the face of imminent danger, Pedro would not forsake Fr. Diego, but as a "good soldier of Christ" preferred to die at the missionary's side.source: wiki
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