Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Florida's First Catholic Martyrs
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, September 14, 2021
1. Florida's First Catholic Martyrs Marker
Inscription.
Florida's First Catholic Martyrs. . Somewhere along the shores of Tampa Bay during the summer of 1549, Catholic priest (from the Dominican Order) Fray Luis Cancer de Barbastro, fellow Dominican priest Fray Diego de Tolosa, and an oblate named Fuentes, were killed by a group of local Native Americans. The two priests and the layman came to the Gulf coast on a mission to peacefully convert the Florida Natives to Christianity. Previous Spanish incursions into the Tampa Bay area were marked by violence toward the Indigenous population, making them suspicious of any non-Natives. Despite instructions to the ship's pilot to avoid areas with previous Spanish contacts, the Dominicans' ship sailed directly to Tampa Bay, sealing the fate of Fray Luis and his companions.
Somewhere along the shores of Tampa Bay during the summer of 1549, Catholic priest (from the Dominican Order) Fray Luis Cancer de Barbastro, fellow Dominican priest Fray Diego de Tolosa, and an oblate named Fuentes, were killed by a group of local Native Americans. The two priests and the layman came to the Gulf coast on a mission to peacefully convert the Florida Natives to Christianity. Previous Spanish incursions into the Tampa Bay area were marked by violence toward the Indigenous population, making them suspicious of any non-Natives. Despite instructions to the ship's pilot to avoid areas with previous Spanish contacts, the Dominicans' ship sailed directly to Tampa Bay, sealing the fate of Fray Luis and his companions.
Erected 2021 by Originally erected by the Hillsborough County Historical Commission-Replacement marker erected by the Hillsborough County Historical Advisory Council.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1549.
Location. 27° 56.411′ N, 82° 27.61′ W. Marker is in Tampa, Florida, in Hillsborough County. Marker is on Bayshore Boulevard just north of Beach Place, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tampa FL 33606, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Rock in the background used to have the old marker from this site.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 5, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2021, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 354 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 19, 2021, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
