DEATH OF PADRE KINO, – MARCH 11th 1711

Here is what has been posted on Facebook profile “Eusebio Kino #“. Our deepest thanks to the Facebook profile of our friends at “Eusebio Kino” for their reminder about this important event!

Today the people of the Magdalena de Kino honor Padre Kino on the anniversary of his death in a beautiful and powerful way with their annual silent parade at dusk through the streets of their town. Padre Velarde wrote of Kino’s death: “He died as he had lived, with extreme humility and poverty… His death bed, as his bed always, consisted of two calf skins for a mattress, two blankets such as the Indians use as covers, and pack saddle for a pillow. … He had traveled to dedicate a finely made chapel in the pueblo of Santa Magdalena , consecrated to San Francisco Xavier.” Read about the discovery of Kino’s grave in 1966 at http://padrekino.com/kino-s-legacy/kino-grave-discovery/

Death of Eusebio Francisco Kino near midnight on March 15, 1711. Kino believed that he recovered from a near fatal disease at age 18 by the intercession of the great Jesuit missionary St Francis Xavier. Kino rode his last earthly trail at age 66 to dedicate a chapel to his patron saint. Velarde wrote: “He died in the home of Padre Campos. Padre Kino felt unwell as he sang the Mass of dedication. It would seem that the saintly Apostle, to whom he was always devoted, summoned Kino so that, by being buried in his chapel, he would remain close to the Apostle’s lifeless image because he had imitated the living Saint through his apostolic work, in order that he might accompany Xavier, as we may believe, in heavenly bliss.”

Drawings by Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia.

# “Eusebio Kino” Facebook Profile:
https://www.facebook.com/eusebio.kino.56?fref=ts