Blessed John de Zafra
Blessed John de Zafra (born c. 1480 AD in Zafra, Badajoz Province, Spain; died May 19, 1521 AD in Mexico (New Spain)) was a Spanish Catholic Dominican friar from Zafra, Extremadura, who was among the early Dominican missionaries in the Americas and died in New Spain. He is venerated as one of the proto-martyrs or early missionaries of Mexico. He was beatified by confirmed local cult. His feast day is May 19.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed John de Zafra
| Blessed John de Zafra | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 19 |
| Profession | Spanish Catholic Dominican friar and missionary; born Zafra Badajoz Extremadura Spain c. 1480; Order of Preachers (Dominicans; OP); early Dominican missionary to New Spain (Mexico); died Mexico (New Spain) May 19 1521; beatified confirmed local cult; feast May 19 |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Order of Preachers (Dominicans; OP); early Spanish colonial mission in New Spain (Mexico); Zafra; Badajoz; Extremadura; Spain; New Spain (Mexico) |
| Patronage | Zafra; Badajoz; Extremadura; Spain; Mexico; Dominican missionaries; early missionaries to the Americas; Extremaduran Catholics; those who carry the faith to distant lands |
| Attributes | Dominican white-and-black habit; May 19 feast; Zafra Extremadura setting; Plaza Grande of Zafra; New Spain/Mexico landscape; missionary cross; indigenous flowers and landscapes of Mexico |
| Birthplace | Zafra, Badajoz Province, Extremadura, Spain |
| Death Place | Mexico (New Spain) |
| Cause of Death | Death in the mission; died May 19, 1521, in Mexico (New Spain); Blessed John de Zafra (Spanish: Beato Juan de Zafra OP) was a Spanish Catholic Dominican friar; born Zafra Badajoz Extremadura Spain c. 1480; Order of Preachers (Dominicans; OP); early Dominican missionary to New Spain (Mexico); died Mexico (New Spain) May 19 1521; beatified confirmed local cult; feast May 19 |
| Primary Shrine | Zafra, Badajoz, Spain; feast May 19 |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; May 19 feast locally in Mexico and in the Dominican Order |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
John de Zafra was born c. 1480 in Zafra, in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. He entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) and became one of the earliest Dominican missionaries to New Spain (Mexico), arriving in the wake of Hernán Cortés's conquest of the Aztec Empire.
He died in Mexico on May 19, 1521 — the year of the fall of Tenochtitlán — making him among the very first Dominican missionaries in mainland Mexico.
He was beatified by confirmed local cult. His feast day is May 19.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Zafra, Badajoz Province, Extremadura, Spain
Death location: Mexico (New Spain)
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Feast day
May 19
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