Pedro Ortiz de Zárate

After his ordination, Father Pedro Ortiz de Zárate began his ministry in Humahuaca, then became parish priest of Jujuy in 1659 or 1661, serving there for nearly twenty-four years. A zealous pastor, he distinguished himself by his life of prayer, his attention to the liturgy, and his devotion to the sacraments. Sensitive to the misery of the indigenous populations, he traveled long distances to bring them the faith and defend them against the injustices of the colonists, using his inheritance to build churches. In 1683, eager to evangelize the Gran Chaco, he conceived a peace mission in the Zenta Valley with the help of the Jesuits, departing on May 4, 1683, with Father Giovanni Antonio Solinas, Father Diego Ruiz, and more than seventy companions.

The missionary caravan established itself in the Zenta valley and erected a chapel there dedicated to Santa María. Despite peaceful beginnings, tensions rose under the influence of hostile chiefs. In July 1683, Father Ruiz left to seek provisions, leaving Don Pedro and Father Solinas to guide the community. Aware of the danger, Don Pedro refused to abandon them, writing to Father Ruiz that he must procure eternal life for souls even if he loses his body. On October 27, 1683, surrounded by hundreds of indigenous people from the Tobas and Mocovíes tribes feigning peace, Pedro Ortiz de Zárate, Father Solinas, and eighteen lay companions were massacred and beheaded. The remains of Don Pedro were later interred in the cathedral of Jujuy.

The reputation of the martyrdom of Pedro Ortiz de Zárate and his companions has been passed down through the centuries. The cause for beatification was carried out by the Diocese of San Ramón de la Nueva Orán. On October 13, 2021, Pope Francis authorized the decree recognizing their martyrdom in hatred of the faith (in odium fidei). The beatification ceremony took place on July 2, 2022, at the Family Park of San Ramón de la Nueva Orán, presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro. His liturgical memorial is set for October 27.

Blessed Pedro Ortiz de Zárate offers a rich model of Christian life, having been a husband, father, magistrate, and then a priest and missionary. His spirituality was based on abandonment to the divine will, prayer, and a preferential love for the poor. His legacy remains alive in northwestern Argentina (Jujuy and Salta), where he is venerated as a pioneer of evangelization and a defender of the dignity of the indigenous people. His respectful dialogue with indigenous communities continues to inspire the Church in Latin America for justice, peace, and reconciliation.