Jean de Brébeuf

St. Jean de Brébeuf (25 March 1593 – 16 March 1649) was a Jesuit missionary, martyred in Canada in 1649.

Related Topics:
25 March - 1593 - 16 March - 1649 - Jesuit - Missionary - Martyred - Canada

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Brébeuf was born in Condé-sur-Vire, Normandy, France. He became a Jesuit in 1617. In 1625 he sailed to Canada as a missionary, arriving on June 19, and lived with the Huron natives near Lake Huron, learning their customs and language, of which he became an expert (it is said that he wrote the first dictionary of the Huron language). Although the missionaries were recalled in 1629, Brébeuf returned to Canada in 1633. He unsuccessfully attempted to convert the Neutral nations on Lake Erie in 1640. In 1649 the Iroquois attacked the Wendat (Huron) village of St. Louis where Brébeuf was working along with his assistant Gabriel Lalemant, and he was captured and tortured to death on March 16, 1649.

Related Topics:
Condé-sur-Vire - Normandy - France - 1617 - 1625 - June 19 - Huron - Lake Huron - 1629 - 1633 - Lake Erie - 1640 - 1649 - Iroquois - March 16

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Brébeuf was canonized in 1930 with seven other missionaries, known as the Canadian Martyrs. He is a patron saint of Canada, and his feast day is October 19th. Many Jesuit schools are named after him, such as College Jean-de-Brebeuf.

Related Topics:
Canonized - 1930 - Canadian Martyrs - Patron saint - Feast day - October 19th

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