Reyes Salazar, Sabás, St.
REYES SALAZAR, SABÁS, ST.
Martyr, priest; b. Dec. 5, c. 1879–83, at Cocula, Jalisco, Archdiocese of Guadalajara, Mexico; d. Apr. 13, 1927 (Wednesday of Holy Week), Tototlán, Guadalajara, Diocese of San Juan de los Lagos. Sabás came from a poor family, studied in Guadalajara's seminary, then transferred to the diocese of Tamaulipas, where he was ordained (1911). At the beginning of the revolution, he returned to Guadalajara to minister in various parishes, primarily forming catechists. Despite the outbreak of anti-clerical persecution, he continued working in Tototlán. When federal troops attacked as he was returning from a baptism, he found refuge for two days before he was discovered by Izaguirre's troops. In vain they tortured him with fire to elicit the hiding places of Francisco Vizcarra and other priests, then riddled his body with bullets. His body rests in the church at Tototlán. Fr. Reyes was both beatified (Nov. 22, 1992) and canonized (May 21, 2000) with Cristobal magallanes [see guadalaja ra (mexico), martyrs of, ss.] by Pope John Paul II.
Feast: May 25 (Mexico).
Bibliography: j. cardoso, Los mártires mexicanos (Mexico City 1953). j. dÍaz estrella, El movimiento cristero: sociedad y conflicto en los Altos de Jalisco (México, D.F. 1979).
[k. i. rabenstein]