St Pedro Calungsod is a seventeenth century Filipino martyr. He traveled to the Mariana Islands (Guam) to evangelize the people as a missionary and was killed, along with Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, for their faith.
Read the full St Pedro Calungsod novena on the novena page. You can also learn more about novenas here.
What is San Pedro Calungsod known for?
Pedro was born in 1654 in the Visayan region of the Philippines, which was then part of the Spanish colonial territory. Little is known about his early life, but it is believed that he received education and religious training under Spanish Jesuit missionaries.
In the early 17th century, Spanish Jesuit missionaries, including Calungsod, traveled to the Mariana Islands (now Guam) to spread the Catholic Faith among the indigenous Chamorro people. Calungsod, along with his mentor, Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, embarked on this missionary journey, intending to evangelize and convert the local population to Christ and His Church.
However, their efforts faced significant challenges due to resistance from some of the Chamorro leaders who were opposed to the imposition of Christianity and the disruption it posed to their traditional way of life. Despite the obstacles, Calungsod and San Vitores persisted in their mission, baptizing many Chamorros and establishing Christian communities.
In 1672, a conflict erupted between the missionaries and the Chamorro chiefs, resulting in the killing of Calungsod and San Vitores. Calungsod was struck down by a spear while trying to defend San Vitores during a skirmish on the island of Guam. Both Calungsod and San Vitores were subsequently declared martyrs for their faith.
Their martyrdoms have been celebrated in the Philippines where Calungsod is revered as a national hero and a model of youthful faith and dedication. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Philippines in 2000 and later canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012, making him the second Filipino saint after St. Lorenzo Ruiz.
Saint Pedro Calungsod’s feast day is celebrated on April 2nd each year, commemorating his martyrdom and honoring his contributions to the spread of Christianity in the Philippines and beyond. He is widely venerated as a patron saint of Filipino youth, catechists, and altar servers.
His life and legacy continue to inspire Catholics and Filipinos worldwide.