Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro (1891–1927) was a Mexican Jesuit priest who ministered in secret during the violent persecution of the Church in Mexico, slipping through Mexico City in disguises to bring the sacraments to the faithful, until he was arrested and executed by firing squad without trial on November 23, 1927. He died with his arms outstretched in the form of a cross, crying, “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”, “Long live Christ the King!” The government photographed his execution to frighten Catholics, but the photographs made him a hero throughout the world. Pope St. John Paul II beatified him in 1988, and his feast day is November 23, the day after the solemnity of Christ the King. Below are his story and prayers to Blessed Miguel Pro.
A short prayer to Blessed Miguel Pro, written for this page:
Blessed Miguel Pro, you served Christ the King with courage and joy,
and forgave your executioners before you died.
Pray for persecuted Christians, for priests, and for me,
that I may never be ashamed to say, “Viva Cristo Rey!” Amen.
Who was Miguel Pro?
Miguel Pro was born on January 13, 1891, in Guadalupe, Zacatecas, Mexico, the son of a mining engineer, and was known in his family as a joker and a mimic who loved to make people laugh. He entered the Jesuits in 1911, but the Mexican Revolution and its hostility to the Church forced the novices to flee. He studied in California, Spain, Nicaragua and Belgium, and was ordained a priest in Belgium in 1925, while suffering from painful stomach ulcers.
In 1926 he returned to Mexico just as President Plutarco Elías Calles began to enforce harsh anti-Catholic laws: churches were closed, priests were banned from public ministry, and many Catholics, the Cristeros, rose in revolt. Father Pro worked in secret in Mexico City, disguised at times as a mechanic, a beggar or a businessman, celebrating Mass in homes, hearing confessions, bringing Communion to hundreds of people a day, and caring for the poor.
In November 1927, after a failed bombing attack on a former president, Father Pro and his brothers were arrested although he had no part in it. Without any trial, he was led into the courtyard of the police headquarters on November 23. He forgave his executioners, knelt to pray, refused a blindfold, and stood with his arms outstretched holding a rosary and crucifix. His last words were “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” Despite the government’s threats, tens of thousands of people lined the streets for his funeral.
Beatification
Pope St. John Paul II beatified Miguel Pro on September 25, 1988, as a martyr killed in hatred of the faith. His remains rest in the Church of the Holy Family in Mexico City.
Prayers to Blessed Miguel Pro
Written for this page.
For persecuted Christians
Blessed Miguel Pro, you risked your life every day to bring Jesus to His people.
Pray for Christians who are persecuted today:
give them courage, protect their priests, and keep their faith strong. Amen.
For priests
Lord, bless our priests with the zeal and joy of Blessed Miguel Pro.
Make them faithful in hardship and generous to the poor,
and let them bring your sacraments to all who need them. Amen.
For joy in suffering
Blessed Miguel, you kept your sense of humor through illness, danger and fear.
Help me to carry my crosses with a cheerful heart and to trust in Christ the King. Amen.
Feast day
The memorial of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, priest and martyr, is November 23, an optional memorial in the United States and Mexico. It falls the day after or near the solemnity of Christ the King, whose name was on his lips when he died.
Frequently asked questions
What did Miguel Pro say before he died?
“¡Viva Cristo Rey!”, “Long live Christ the King!”
Is Miguel Pro a saint?
He is a blessed, beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1988. One more approved miracle is needed for his canonization.
When is Blessed Miguel Pro’s feast day?
November 23.