Redemptus of the Cross
Encyclopedia
Blessed Redemptus of the Cross, O.C.D. (born Tomás Rodrigues da Cunha; 15 March 1598 – 29 November 1638) was a Portuguese
lay brother in the Order of Discalced Carmelites
. He was put to death with his confrère Denis of the Nativity
while on a mission to Aceh
in Sumatra
.
, Portugal
on 15 March 1598. He was a soldier in India before he joined the Carmelites in Goa
as a lay brother in 1615, taking the name Redemptus of the Cross.
Brother Redemptus accompanied Br. Denis of the Nativity on a missionary journey to the sultan of Aceh
. In Aceh, all the members of the mission were trapped and arrested. Refusing to deny their faith, the missionaries were martyred one by one. Brother Redemptus and Br. Denis were led to a desolate spot on the seashore, where Redemptus' throat was slit open. Brother Denis, a crucifix in his hands, was the last to die.
on 10 June 1900 by Pope Leo XIII, together with Denis of the Nativity. Their feast day in the Roman Martyrology
is November 29.
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
lay brother in the Order of Discalced Carmelites
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
. He was put to death with his confrère Denis of the Nativity
Denis of the Nativity
Blessed Denis of the Nativity, O.C.D. was a French sailor and cartographer for the king of Portugal, who later became a Discalced Carmelite missionary...
while on a mission to Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
in Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
.
Life
Tomás Rodrigues da Cunha was born in ParedesParedes, Portugal
Paredes is a city in Paredes Municipality in Portugal.The city of Paredes has about 12,654 inhabitants. It is incorporated in the civil parish of Castelões de Cepeda....
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
on 15 March 1598. He was a soldier in India before he joined the Carmelites in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
as a lay brother in 1615, taking the name Redemptus of the Cross.
Brother Redemptus accompanied Br. Denis of the Nativity on a missionary journey to the sultan of Aceh
Aceh Sultanate
The Sultanate of Aceh, officially the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam was a sultanate centered in the modern area of Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, which was a major regional power in the 16th and 17th centuries, before experiencing a long period of decline...
. In Aceh, all the members of the mission were trapped and arrested. Refusing to deny their faith, the missionaries were martyred one by one. Brother Redemptus and Br. Denis were led to a desolate spot on the seashore, where Redemptus' throat was slit open. Brother Denis, a crucifix in his hands, was the last to die.
Veneration
Redemptus of the Cross was beatifiedBeatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
on 10 June 1900 by Pope Leo XIII, together with Denis of the Nativity. Their feast day in the Roman Martyrology
Roman Martyrology
The Roman Martyrology is the official martyrology of the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Church.-History:...
is November 29.