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The Venerable Antonio and the Venerable Juan ~ Codas to the Martyrdom of the
Venerable Christobal
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Two years after the death of Christobal, the Dominican Father Bernardino de
Minaya passed through Tlaxcala, on the way to the Province of Huaxaca
[Oaxaca] seeking to take along some gentlemen instructed in the Faith, so
that they could in turn become Teachers. Antonio and Juan Diego, sons of
Chiefs, and a servant of Antonio’s called Juan, offered their services.
They departed in the company of Fray Bernardino who, when they arrived at
Tepeyacac, sent them on to seek out idols. They arrived at Quauhtinchan,
where the boy Antonio found a few, and in Tecalli still more. The people of
Quauhtinchan grew agitated and organized to kill them; and finding them in a
house, killed Juan, who was in the doorway. Hearing the commotion, Antonio
appeared, saying, “I am the one who took away your demonic figures; if for
this you wish to kill me, no better life is attained without such happy
death.” And so they did, and tossed the bodies into a ravine at Tecalli.
Noticing that Antonio and his slave Juan were missing, the Priest sent to
look for them. The aggressors were found out; and although they tried to
negotiate their way out of punishment with gifts, they paid with the
gallows. The bodies [of Antonio and Juan] were taken to be buried with
ostentation in Tlaxcala.
Being the first flowers of the Garden of America - flowers of Martyrs - and
celebrated by so many Authors for being the first, I close this month of May
with these flowers like fragrant carnations.
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"Menologio Franciscano" 1698
Fr. Agustin de Vetancurt
tr. Magister Levitatorum
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