Antonio Margil
Encyclopedia
Antonio Margil was a Spanish Franciscan
missionary in North and Central America.
on 22 April 1673. After his ordination to the priesthood he volunteered for the Native American
missions, and arrived at Vera Cruz
on 6 June 1683. He was stationed at the missionary college of Santa Cruz, Querétaro
, but was generally engaged in reaching missions in Yucatan
, Costa Rica
, Nicaragua
, and especially in Guatemala
.
He always walked barefooted, without sandals, fasted every day in the year, never used meat or fish, and applied the discipline as well as other instruments of penance to himself unmercifully. He slept very little, but passed in prayer the greater part of the night, as well as the time allotted for the siesta
.
On 25 June 1706, he was appointed first guardian of the newly-erected missionary college of Guadalupe, Zacatecas
. In 1716 he led a band of three fathers and two lay-brothers into Texas
, and founded the missions of Guadalupe among the Nacogdoches, Dolores among the Ays
, and San Miguel among the Adays. When the French destroyed these missions, Father Margil withdrew to the Rio San Antonio, and remained near the present city of San Antonio, Texas
for more than a year.
He then returned with his friars to the scene of his former activity, restored the missions, and gave his attention to the French settlers in Louisiana
. In 1722 he was elected guardian of his college; at the close of his term of office he resumed missionary work in Mexico. He died at Mexico City in the Convento Grande de San Francisco.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
missionary in North and Central America.
Life
He entered the Franciscan Order in his native city of Valencia, SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on 22 April 1673. After his ordination to the priesthood he volunteered for the Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
missions, and arrived at Vera Cruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
on 6 June 1683. He was stationed at the missionary college of Santa Cruz, Querétaro
Querétaro
Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....
, but was generally engaged in reaching missions in Yucatan
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, and especially in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
.
He always walked barefooted, without sandals, fasted every day in the year, never used meat or fish, and applied the discipline as well as other instruments of penance to himself unmercifully. He slept very little, but passed in prayer the greater part of the night, as well as the time allotted for the siesta
Siesta
A siesta is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those where the weather is warm....
.
On 25 June 1706, he was appointed first guardian of the newly-erected missionary college of Guadalupe, Zacatecas
Guadalupe, Zacatecas
Guadalupe is the third-largest city in the state of Zacatecas in Mexico. It lies adjacent to the east side of the city of Zacatecas and is a component of the Zacatecas-Guadalupe metropolitan area. The city had a 2005 census population of 99,572 inhabitants and serves as municipal seat of the...
. In 1716 he led a band of three fathers and two lay-brothers into Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and founded the missions of Guadalupe among the Nacogdoches, Dolores among the Ays
Eyeish
The Eyeish were a Native American tribe from eastern Texas.-History:The Eyeish were part of the Caddo Confederacy, although their relationship to other Caddo tribes was ambiguous, and they were often hostile to the Hasinai...
, and San Miguel among the Adays. When the French destroyed these missions, Father Margil withdrew to the Rio San Antonio, and remained near the present city of San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
for more than a year.
He then returned with his friars to the scene of his former activity, restored the missions, and gave his attention to the French settlers in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In 1722 he was elected guardian of his college; at the close of his term of office he resumed missionary work in Mexico. He died at Mexico City in the Convento Grande de San Francisco.