A Michigan Diocese planned a celebration for Oct. 19, declared the day of Saints Jean de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues in honor of two out of eight North American martyrs who lost their lives while evangelizing to Native Americans in the 17th century.

“Today is the Memorial of Saints Jean de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, priests, companions and martyrs. Let us model our own evangelistic efforts after that of the North American martyrs who cared not only for the natives’ spiritual needs but their human needs as well,” the Diocese of Gaylord (Michigan) tweeted.

The eight individuals labeled as North American martyrs included six priests and two laymen. All Jesuit, the group was murdered between 1642 and 1649 while working to Christianize Native Americans, Simply reports.

In 1617, 24-year-old St. Jean de Brébeuf joined the Society of Jesus, and he officially declared a priest in 1623. In 1625, he traveled to New France, now known as Canada. The young advocate was tasked with evangelizing the Huron Indians who lived between the Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. In 1647, the French made peace with the Iroquois, who at the time, were considered enemies with the Huron, which competed with them in the fur trade.

The competition led the Iroquois to destroy all Huron villages and missions between 1648 and 1650. Brébeuf was then tortured to death by stoning, a “collar” of burning tomahawks, a “baptism” of boiling water and burning at the stake. As a result of not displaying signs of pain throughout the course of the torture, the Iroquois ate his heart. As a result of the ordeal, he has now been named the patron saint of Canada, Britannica reports.

Similarly, St. Isaac Jogues was born in France in 1607 and joined the Society of Jesus in 1624. After being deemed a priest in 1636 and sent to Canada to Christianize Native Americans, he was captured by the Iroquois in 1642 and held captive for over a year, during which time his hands were mutilated. 

He was aided by a nearby Dutch colony and able to escape, becoming the first priest to visit New Amsterdam, which is now New York City. The Dutch helped him return home to France, where he had been presumed dead. He was eager to return to his missions, and went back to Canada to try and establish peace between the Mohawks and the French. The Mohawks accused him of witchcraft because of an outbreak of sickness they were experiencing and murdered him. Both men were declared martyrs in 1930.