Gabriel Lallemant
Encyclopedia
Saint Gabriel Lalemant was a Jesuit missionary and one of the eight Canadian Martyrs
.
In 1630 Lalemant joined the Jesuits and in 1632 took the vow to devote himself to foreign missions. Despite the vow, he spent 14 years in France
before coming to Canada. He taught at the Collège in Moulins
from 1632 to 1635. He was at Bourges
from 1635 to 1639 studying theology and then taught at three different schools before arriving in Quebec
in September, 1646.
Little is known about Lalemant's stay in Quebec. In September 1648 he was sent to Wendake, the land of the Wendat, as an assistant to Father Jean de Brébeuf
. He was first posted to the mission at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
. In February 1649 he replaced Noël Chabanel at the mission of Saint Louis. In March Lalemant and Brébeuf were captured there by the Iroquois
and taken to the nearby mission at Saint Ignace. There he was tortured before being killed on March 17, 1649.
Lalemant was the nephew of former Sainte-Marie superior Jérôme Lalemant
. At the time of Gabriel's death, his uncle was the superior of Jesuits in Canada. In 1650, he venerated the remains of Jean de Brébeuf and Gabriel Lalemant in Quebec.
Lalemant was canonized
by Pope Pius XI
on June 29, 1930.
His last moments are recorded as follows:
His surname may be spelled either Lallemant or Lalemant by different references.
Canadian Martyrs
The North American Martyrs, also known as the Canadian Martyrs or the Martyrs of New France, were eight Jesuit missionaries from Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, who were martyred in the mid-17th century in Canada, in what are now southern Ontario and upstate New York, during the warfare between the...
.
In 1630 Lalemant joined the Jesuits and in 1632 took the vow to devote himself to foreign missions. Despite the vow, he spent 14 years in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
before coming to Canada. He taught at the Collège in Moulins
Moulins, Allier
Moulins is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department.Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.-History:...
from 1632 to 1635. He was at Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
from 1635 to 1639 studying theology and then taught at three different schools before arriving in Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in September, 1646.
Little is known about Lalemant's stay in Quebec. In September 1648 he was sent to Wendake, the land of the Wendat, as an assistant to Father Jean de Brébeuf
Jean de Brébeuf
Jean de Brébeuf was a Jesuit missionary, martyred in Canada on March 16, 1649.-Early years:Brébeuf was born in Condé-sur-Vire, Normandy, France. He was the uncle of the fur trader Georges de Brébeuf. He studied near home at Caen. He became a Jesuit in 1617, joining the Order...
. He was first posted to the mission at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
Sainte-Marie among the Hurons was a French Jesuit settlement in Wendake, the land of the Wendat, near modern Midland, Ontario, from 1639 to 1649. It was the first European settlement in what is now the province of Ontario. Eight missionaries from Sainte-Marie were martyred, and were canonized by...
. In February 1649 he replaced Noël Chabanel at the mission of Saint Louis. In March Lalemant and Brébeuf were captured there by the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
and taken to the nearby mission at Saint Ignace. There he was tortured before being killed on March 17, 1649.
Jérôme Lalemant
Jérôme Lalemant was a Jesuit priest who came to Canada in 1638 after much varied experience in the priesthood in France. He was almost immediately made superior for the mission to the Hurons, succeeding Jean de Brébeuf, and in 1639 founded Sainte-Marie-des-Hurons which was the central residence...
. At the time of Gabriel's death, his uncle was the superior of Jesuits in Canada. In 1650, he venerated the remains of Jean de Brébeuf and Gabriel Lalemant in Quebec.
Lalemant was canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
on June 29, 1930.
His last moments are recorded as follows:
- "At the height of these torments, Father Gabriel Lallemant lifted his eyes to Heaven, clasping his hands from time to time and uttering sighs to God, whom he invoked to his aid." [He] "had received a hatchet blow on the left ear, which they had driven into his brain, which appeared exposed: we saw no part of his body, from the feet even to the head, which had not been broiled, and in which he had not been burned alive, – even the eyes, into which those impious ones had thrust burning coals." (source?)
His surname may be spelled either Lallemant or Lalemant by different references.