Jean de Brébeuf

Jean de Brébeuf was born on March 25, 1593, in Condé-sur-Vire, Normandy, France. Entering the Society of Jesus in 1617, he endured serious illness as a young Jesuit, yet persevered to priestly ordination in 1622. In 1625 he sailed to New France, arriving in Québec and soon dedicating himself to the Huron/Wendat people. With patient love he learned their language and customs, recording them carefully to help future missionaries and to speak of Christ in words his hearers could truly understand. His years among the Huron were marked by hardship, cultural suspicion, and devastating epidemics, yet he remained steadfast, serving as teacher, preacher, and spiritual father. He is also remembered for composing the “Huron Carol,” a cherished early expression of the Nativity in the local tongue. In 1649, during an Iroquois raid, Brébeuf was captured and, with fellow captives, brutally tortured and killed for the faith on March 16, 1649. Canonized in 1930 among the North American Martyrs, he is venerated as a patron of Canada. His feast day is March 16.