Blessed John of Perugia and Peter of Sassoferrato
Martyrs in Valencia
Companions of Saint Francis of Assisi sent to Spain, John of Perugia and Peter of Sassoferrato evangelized Aragon before being martyred in Valencia in 1230 by the Moorish prince Azote. Their death led to the conversion of their executioner and the definitive establishment of the Franciscans in the city. They were beatified in 1783.
Guided reading
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THE BB. JOHN OF PERUGIA AND PETER OF SASSOFERRATO,
Mission and evangelization in Aragon
In 1219, Saint Francis of Assisi sent John of Perugia and Peter of Sassoferrato to evangelize Spain, where they settled in Teruel.
In the desire to offer peoples the means to work out their salvation and to propagate his Order, Saint Francis of Assisi sent, in 1219 and 1220, several of his companions into the different regions of Europe. Spain was assigned to John of P erugia, a pries Jean de Pérouse Franciscan priest and martyr in Spain. t, and to Peter of Sassoferrato, a bro Pierre de Sasso-Ferrato Franciscan friar and martyr, companion of John of Perugia. ther. Having arrived in Teruel (Turbula), in the kingdom of Aragon, they built themselves two poor cells near a church, and began to travel through the country, which they evangelized and edified by their holy life. They soon acquired a great reputation for holiness. Their zeal led them to Valencia, a city occupied by the Moors. There reigned a fierce enemy of the Christian name, name d Azo Azote Moorish prince of Valencia, initially a persecutor who later converted to Christianity. te. The two missionaries were not long in being arrested. This prince did everything in his power to make them abjure their faith, but, furious to see his efforts useless, he had them beheaded (1230). Miracles did not take long to prove the holiness of the two disciples of Saint Francis.
Martyrdom in Valencia
Having set out to evangelize Valencia under Moorish rule, the two missionaries were beheaded in 1230 by order of Prince Azote after refusing to abjure their faith.
Azote Azote Moorish prince of Valencia, initially a persecutor who later converted to Christianity. was at war with the Christians, and from that moment the fortune of arms was constantly unfavorable to him; attributing these reverses to the protection of the God of the Christians, he resolved to treat with the king; he offered to cede his kingdom to him provided that he provided him with the means to live honorably and to become a Christian. The King of Aragon accepted. Azote was baptized, and the palace of Valencia was assigned to him for his dwelling. Faithful to his promises, Azote banished Mohammedanism from Valencia, re-established the worship of the true God there, and called the Friars Minor to whom, with the assent of the King of Aragon, he gave his palace to found a convent there. It is thus that the Franciscans were established in Valencia after Clement XI and Benedict XIV had approved the cult of the two martyrs. Pius VI beatif ied th Téruel City in Aragon where the saints lived and where their relics rest. em on April 2, 1783. Their relics are kept in Teruel.
Conversion of Prince Azote
Following military defeats, Prince Azote converted to Christianity, ceded his kingdom to the King of Aragon, and installed the Franciscans in his palace.
* Acta Sanctorum Acta Sanctorum Hagiographic collection cited as a source. .*
Recognition of the cult
The cult of the two martyrs was confirmed by several popes and they were officially beatified by Pius VI in 1783.
Azote was at war with the Christians, and from that moment the fortune of arms was constantly unfavorable to him; attributing these reverses to the protection of the God of the Christians, he resolved to treat with the king; he offered to cede his kingdom to him provided that he provided him with the means to live honorably and to become a Christian. The King of Aragon accepted. Azote was baptized, and the palace of Valencia was assigned to him for his dwelling. Faithful to his promises, Azote banished Mohammedanism from Valencia, re-established the worship of the true God there, and called the Friars Minor to it, to whom, with the assent of the King of Aragon, he gave his palace to found a convent there. It is thus that the Franciscans were established in Valencia after Clement XI and Benedict XIV had approved the cult of the two martyrs. Pius VI beatified them on April 2, 1783. Their relics are kept in Teruel.
*Acta Sanctorum.*
Annexes & related entities
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