Jean de Brébeuf is a patron saint of Canada , a title bestowed upon the 17th century Jesuit missionary by Pope Pius XII on Oct. 16, 1940. Brébeuf had previously been canonized as one of North America ’s first saints by Pope Pius XI on June 29, 1930. A New York Times account of the latter event described him as the “Ajax of the mission” who stood out for his “giant frame” and as a “man of noble birth, of vigorous passions tamed by religion.”
Until now, Brébeuf’s life, faith, and tragic conclusion have largely been depicted in a religious context . Crosses in the Sky: Jean de Brébeuf and the Destruction of Huronia by journalist and lawyer Mark Bourrie, author of several acclaimed books on Canadian history , is the first biography written with a secular audience in mind.
Brébeuf was born on March 25, 1593, in Condé-sur-Vire, a commune located in Normandy, France . His family members were “minor nobles” and loyal to the dukes of Normandy for “half a millennium.” While Brébeuf wrote extensively about his missionary work, little is recorded about his early days. He grew above 6 feet in height, which would have towered over most people at the time. He attended a “sort of high school in Rouen, an important trading center and capital of Normandy,” but left after three years “presumably to run the family estate.” He developed a love of languages, which later served him well.
Brébeuf was unlike other notable historical figures in that he “never showed signs of ambition, at least in temporal things.” He described himself in this unusual manner: “I am made, it is seemed, to act like a porter, to look after the dining room and cook the meals. I shall beat myself in the Society as a beggar and I shall look upon anything done for me through a spirit of charity.”
What was always clear about Brébeuf was his faith. He’s depicted as a mystic who “sought his own redemption by racking up big numbers of saved souls.” When that wasn’t enough, “he became determined to be martyred” as a means of giving himself “inner peace, eternal love.” He remained committed to God’s word and the greater glory. This was especially true when he was sent to New France in 1625 and journeyed to Georgian Bay the following year to establish Jesuit roots and eternal salvation in the historical region of Huronia.
Crosses in the Sky provides a detailed account of the giant-framed missionary who walked among the Hurons. “This is the story of the collision of two worlds,” Bourrie wrote in the introduction. “One was drenched in the blood of religious strife and sought to spread its version of truth to the world. The other was trying to cope with wrenching technological changes, pandemics, and the existential threat of encroaching European colonialism.”
It was within this dueling context that Brébeuf crossed paths with the Huron (Wendat) Confederacy, a Native Canadian tribe based in the Great Lakes. His mission was to convert them to Christianity, create a Jesuit state, and die a martyr’s death. Only one goal was truly achieved.
Brébeuf found a people “who tended to be much taller than the French,” although this didn’t apply to him. His mastery of language helped him understand the hourslong discussions among the Hurons’ Old Men, or civil chiefs, along with “anyone who had something to say.” He was given the name “Echon” and taught about Christianity and baptism. He was intrigued by how the Hurons “lived Christ’s message of charity, while Europeans allowed people to go hungry and beg in the streets.” He discovered this community “kept the peace at least as well as the rulers of France,” aided by its legal system, low crime rates, and the added “muscle of their warriors.”
Other traits didn’t serve Brébeuf’s purposes. “The Hurons, as they were in the 1620s, could not be convinced with words,” Bourrie wrote. “Jesuits were never able to convert any nation, large or small, unless it had been conquered by colonial armies, was under direct military threat, or had been lain waste by civil war.” The Hurons were “individualists” and content with their own religious and philosophical beliefs. “They didn’t want a state religion, and they believed it was rude when people like Brébeuf pried into their beliefs and tried to challenge them.”
Brébeuf wasn’t dissuaded and tried everything to convince them otherwise. He asked Samuel de Champlain, the great French explorer who founded Quebec City, to help smooth over any “ruffled feathers” with Huron leaders. He even agreed with the Hurons rooting out “malevolent” sorcerers within their community and executing them. As Bourrie pointed out, this could have been a “serious problem to the Jesuits if the community decided the priests — who portrayed themselves as having strong spiritual powers — were, themselves, malevolent sorcerers.”
His mission changed when Huronia’s “balance of military power had shifted from the Huron-Algonquin-French alliance to the Iroquois” in the 1640s. While the Jesuits “wanted Huron souls,” the Iroquois “hunted for Huron bodies, putting the priests in direct competition with the Five Nations.” The more powerful aggressors clearly had conquest in mind.
Brébeuf and fellow missionary Gabriel Lalemant were taken captive by the Iroquois and brought to the village of Taenhatenteron, or St. Ignace, in March 1649. He told the Hurons “to prepare to enter paradise — rather than Iroquois society,” but those who had joined the Iroquois were tired of listening. Brébeuf was tortured for several days, including with a “big pot of boiling water” poured on his head to symbolize baptism, his limbs being cut off, and a piece of iron “jammed” into his mouth. The Iroquois drank his blood and “ripped out his heart, cooked and ate it,” before throwing his near-lifeless body into a fiery grave.
The remains were retrieved by Jesuits on March 21, 1649, put into small chests, and sent to Quebec. These relics, including what’s believed to be Brébeuf’s skull, have been preserved and protected, and they toured parts of Canada and the United States earlier this year.
This patron saint of Canada has long been given plenty of attention by Jesuits, whether for his missionary spirit or for his extreme suffering. It is good to see his legend now given serious historical treatment.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Michael Taube, a columnist for four publications (Troy Media, Loonie Politics, the National Post, and the Epoch Times), was a speechwriter for former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Most Popular
Comments / 0