CAPILLAS, FRANCIS DE, BL.

Dominican protomartyr of China; b. Bacquerin de Campos, Spain, Aug. 18, 1607; d. Fujian (Fukien), China, Jan. 15, 1648. From Spain he went to Manila (1631), where he was ordained and was active from 1633 to 1641 in Cagayan and Babuyanes. In 1642 he was sent to China via Formosa, joining Francisco Diaz, OP, a missionary returning to his former work in Fujian. They arrived just at the time that the Manchu Tartars were overthrowing the Ming dynasty. During the Tartar invasions, heavy demands were made on the Dominicans, and it was difficult to maintain the peace. Christianity was outlawed on Aug. 9, 1647. Francis, apprehended by mistake on the following day in Fujian, was beaten, and his ankles were stretched on the rack. He was suspected of sorcery because of his patience in suffering. Later he was beheaded as "the leader of the traitorous Christians." His body was eventually taken away by his followers; his head is still venerated at the Dominican house in Valladolid. The process for beatification was begun immediately; resumed in 1901, it was completed Sept. 2, 1909.

Feast: Jan. 15.

Bibliography: j. recorder de dorda, Vida del protomartir de China, beato Francisco de Capillas (Avila 1909). j. m. gonzÁlez, Historia de las misiones dominicanas de China, v.1 (Madrid 1964). a. butler, The Lives of the Saints (New York 1956) 1:98–99. b. m. biermann, Die Anfänge der neueren Dominikaner-mission in China (Münster 1927).

[b. m. biermann]