The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on Saturday celebrated the feast day of St. Christopher Magallanes and his companions, who were killed for resisting Mexico's anti-Catholic government.

“Today we honor St. Christopher Magallanes and his companions, martyred for their involvement in the Cristero uprising,” the diocese posted on social media. 

St. Cristóbal Magallanes Jara, or Christopher Magallanes, was born in 1869, according to Catholic.org. Pope John Paul II beatified St. Christopher Magallanes in 1992 and canonized him in 2000. 

His feast day is celebrated each year on May 21, the anniversary of his canonization and the anniversary of the day he was arrested. St. Christopher lived in Mexico. In the 1920s, the government of Mexico instituted and enforced anti-Catholic laws, banning all foreign clergy and the celebration of Mass in some regions of Mexico, the diocese said in its post. 

Franciscan Media says the Mexican government forced churches, seminaries and Catholic schools to shut down. St. Christopher defied that, secretly established a seminary in Jalisco and he and other priests continued to minister to Catholics behind closed doors. These priests made belonged to the Cristero movement, which dedicated itself to the Church, despite Mexico's criminalization of Catholicism. 

St. Christopher advocated against armed rebellion, but he nonetheless was charged with inciting rebellion. On May 21, 1927, the Newman Ministry says, he 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. His last words were, “I die innocent, and ask God that my blood may serve to unite my Mexican Brethren.” 

St. Christopher and 24 others were killed between 1915 and 1937, for refusing to abandon their faith.

"St. Christopher Magallanes and companions, thank you for your bravery and sacrifice for the sake of the Church. Please, pray for us!” the diocese's post said.