Brother Pedro Betancourt

Antigua , being a devoted city, full of traditions, is proud to be the city where Santo Hermano Pedro de San Jose de Betancourt (or Hermano Pedro, as he liked to be called) , lived and performed his work and his miracles. Santo Hermano Pedro was born in 1626 in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, which is part of Spain . He arrived in Santiago de los Caberellos ( La Antigua ), on February 18, 1651. He lived next door to the convent and church now known as Bel é n. He belonged to the Third Franciscan Order, and dedicated his life to the service of the poor, ill, and unfortunate. He founded the order of Nuestra Se ñ ora de Bel é n, the first and only such order created in America . After his death on April 25, 1667, he left a legacy of his works and miracles. His remains lie in the Church of San Francisco , where pilgrims pray for comfort, often requesting a favor from him. Due to the example set by him in his life, as well as the miracles attributed to him, Pope John Paul II beatified him on June 22, 1980, in St. Peter's Basilica, in Rome . On July 30, 2002, the Pope canonized him during his third trip to Guatemala . Thus he became Guatemala 's first Saint.