The Diocese of Brownsville, in Texas, celebrated the feast day of St. Christopher Magallanes and his companions and shared a relevant Bible passage from that day's Gospel reading.

“Today is the Memorial of Saint Christopher Magallanes, priest, and Companions, martyrs,” the diocese posted online. “¡Viva Cristo Rey! ¡Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!” 

The gospel reading for the day was John 15:18-21, which it then posted.

St. Cristóbal Magallanes Jara — also known as Christopher Magallanes — is a saint and martyr who was born in 1869. He lived in Mexico at a time when the country had a very anti-Catholic government, according to Franciscan Media. Among other things, the government forced churches, seminaries and Catholic schools to shut down. 

St. Christopher acted in opposition to that, clandestinely establishing a seminary in Jalisco, and he and other priests continued to minister to Catholics in secret, Franciscan Media continued. These martyrs belonged to the Cristero movement, which was dedicated to the Church, despite Mexico's criminalization of Catholicism.

St. Christopher expressly advocated against armed rebellion in his preaching and writing. Despite his peaceful approach, he was charged with inciting rebellion, the Newman Ministry said. 

St. Christopher and 24 of his companions were killed over the course of 22 years for refusing to abandon their faith. On May 21, 1927, St. Christopher was on his way to celebrate Mass at a farm when he was arrested. He was killed four days later, without a trial. 

Christopher gave his possessions to his executioners and absolved them of their sin, the Newman Ministry said. His last words were, “I die innocent, and ask God that my blood may serve to unite my Mexican Brethren.”

Pope John Paul II beatified St. Christopher Magallanes in 1992 and canonized him on May 21, 2000, the anniversary of the day he was arrested, Catholic.org said. His feast day is celebrated that day every year, too.