Hermano Pedro de San José de Betancurt
Encyclopedia
Brother Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur (March 21, 1626 (Tenerife
)—April 25, 1667 (Antigua Guatemala
), called Hermano Pedro de San José Betancurt or more simply Hermano Pedro, Santo Hermano Pedro, or San Pedro de Vilaflor, was a Spanish
saint and missionary. He is known as the "St. Francis
of the Americas." He is known as the first Canarian
Saint.
, he spent some time in a little cave in the arid region near the present-day town of El Médano
(municipality of Granadilla de Abona
).
He worked as a shepherd until age 24, when in 1649, he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Havana, Cuba, he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he arrived in Guatemala City
the following year.
When he arrived he was so destitute that he joined the bread line which the Franciscans had established. He fell sick almost immediately but was able to recover his health.
He very much wanted to become a priest
and soon enrolled in the local Jesuit college (Jesuit College of San Borgia) in hopes of studying for the priesthood. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could not master the material, and thus withdrew from the school.
Unable to receive holy orders, he became a Franciscan tertiary
in the convent of Costa Rica in Antigua Guatemala
, and took the name "Peter of Saint Joseph". He visited hospitals, jails, the unemployed, and the young. Three years later, he opened Our Lady of Bethlehem, a hospital for the convalescent poor. Soon after there was a shelter for the homeless, schools for the poor, an oratory, and an inn
for priests. He was imitated by other tertiaries and Hermano Pedro soon wrote up a rule, which was adopted by the women who were involved in teaching the children. This led to the formation of a new religious order
: la Orden de los Bethlemitas y de las Bethlemitas, subsequently recognized and approved by the Holy See
.
He died in Antigua Guatemala
at the age of 41. He left behind devotional writings.
He was beatified
on June 22, 1980, and canonized
on July 30, 2002, by Pope John Paul II
. At the homily
read by John Paul II in Guatemala City on July 30, 2002, Hermano Pedro was called the "first Canarian and Guatemalan saint."http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20020730_canonization-guatemala_sp.html
His tomb is in the San Francisco Church, in Antigua Guatemala
. The Cave of Santo Hermano Pedro
is located in the south of the island of Tenerife
, in a desert on the outskirts of the city of El Medano
. It is a very popular pilgrimage site, where the faithful present votive offerings to the saint. Inside the cave is a wooden statue of the saint.
He is sometimes credited with originating the Christmas Eve
posadas procession
in which people representing Mary and Joseph
seek a night's lodging from their neighbors. The custom soon spread to Mexico
and other Central American countries.
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
)—April 25, 1667 (Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
), called Hermano Pedro de San José Betancurt or more simply Hermano Pedro, Santo Hermano Pedro, or San Pedro de Vilaflor, was a Spanish
Spain
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...
saint and missionary. He is known as the "St. Francis
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
of the Americas." He is known as the first Canarian
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
Saint.
Biography
Born in Vilaflor, on the island of TenerifeTenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, he spent some time in a little cave in the arid region near the present-day town of El Médano
El Médano
El Médano is a town in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, on the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands....
(municipality of Granadilla de Abona
Granadilla de Abona
Granadilla de Abona is a municipality of Tenerife, located in the south of the island, occupying an area of 155 square kilometers. Its population in 1991 was 17,141...
).
He worked as a shepherd until age 24, when in 1649, he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Havana, Cuba, he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he arrived in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
the following year.
When he arrived he was so destitute that he joined the bread line which the Franciscans had established. He fell sick almost immediately but was able to recover his health.
He very much wanted to become a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and soon enrolled in the local Jesuit college (Jesuit College of San Borgia) in hopes of studying for the priesthood. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could not master the material, and thus withdrew from the school.
Unable to receive holy orders, he became a Franciscan tertiary
Tertiaries
Tertiaries may mean either:* associations of lay Christians connected with the mendicant and other religious Orders, i.e. Third orders* a bird's hand i.e. remiges....
in the convent of Costa Rica in Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
, and took the name "Peter of Saint Joseph". He visited hospitals, jails, the unemployed, and the young. Three years later, he opened Our Lady of Bethlehem, a hospital for the convalescent poor. Soon after there was a shelter for the homeless, schools for the poor, an oratory, and an inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
for priests. He was imitated by other tertiaries and Hermano Pedro soon wrote up a rule, which was adopted by the women who were involved in teaching the children. This led to the formation of a new religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
: la Orden de los Bethlemitas y de las Bethlemitas, subsequently recognized and approved by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
He died in Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
at the age of 41. He left behind devotional writings.
Veneration
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
on June 22, 1980, and canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
on July 30, 2002, by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. At the homily
Homily
A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture. In Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a homily is usually given during Mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word...
read by John Paul II in Guatemala City on July 30, 2002, Hermano Pedro was called the "first Canarian and Guatemalan saint."http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20020730_canonization-guatemala_sp.html
His tomb is in the San Francisco Church, in Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
. The Cave of Santo Hermano Pedro
Cave of Santo Hermano Pedro
The Cave of Santo Hermano Pedro, is a cave-shrine dedicated to Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur . Located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, near El Medano on the south of the island of Tenerife ....
is located in the south of the island of Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, in a desert on the outskirts of the city of El Medano
El Médano
El Médano is a town in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, on the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands....
. It is a very popular pilgrimage site, where the faithful present votive offerings to the saint. Inside the cave is a wooden statue of the saint.
He is sometimes credited with originating the Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
posadas procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
in which people representing Mary and Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
seek a night's lodging from their neighbors. The custom soon spread to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and other Central American countries.
External links
Hermano Pedro de San José Betancurt (1626-1667) Canonización del Beato Hermano Pedro de San José de Betancurt- Website of the Obras Sociales Society with the biography of Pedro Betancur
- Catholic Online: Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur
- Patron Saints Index: Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur
- Saint of the Day
- http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp26.htm