Martín de Valencia was born in Valencia de Don Juan, in the bishopric of Oviedo, Spain, ca. 1474. He died Tlalmanalco, Mexico, 21 March 1534. He was a Spanish Franciscan missionary, leader of the Twelve Apostles of Mexico, the first group of mendicants in New Spain.
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👉 Martín de Valencia in the context of Twelve Apostles of Mexico
The Twelve Apostles of Mexico, the Franciscan Twelve, or the Twelve Apostles of New Spain, were a group of twelve Franciscan missionaries who arrived in the newly founded Viceroyalty of New Spain on May 13 or 14, 1524 and reached Mexico City on June 17 or 18, with the goal of converting its indigenous population to Christianity. Conqueror Hernán Cortés had requested friars of the Franciscan and Dominican Orders to evangelize the Indians. Despite the small number, it had religious significance and marked the beginning of the systematic evangelization of the Indians in New Spain.
Franciscan Fray Pedro de Gante had already begun the evangelization and instruction of natives in New Spain since 1523. Fray Juan Galpión had offered himself as a missionary but could not go himself. He organized the Twelve Franciscans with Fray Martín de Valencia as its head. The group consisted of: