David Uribe Velasco

David Uribe Velasco (29 December 1889 – 12 April 1927) was a Mexican Catholic priest killed during the Cristero War. As parish priest of Iguala, Guerrero, he was arrested during the religious persecution, taken to Cuernavaca and shot near San José Vista Hermosa, Morelos. He was beatified in 1992 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 as one of the Saints of the Cristero War.

Life

Uribe was born in Buenavista de Cuéllar, Guerrero, the son of Juan Uribe and Victoria Velasco. He studied at the seminary in Chilapa and was ordained a priest in 1913, after which he went to Tabasco with the bishop of that diocese.

When persecution of the Church began in Tabasco, Uribe went into hiding and fled to Veracruz before returning to the diocese of Chilapa. He was arrested while travelling and condemned to death for being a priest, but his parishioners obtained a pardon and he continued his ministry. After further persecution forced him to leave his parish and take shelter in Mexico City, he was recognized on his return to Iguala, arrested and taken by train to Cuernavaca.

The officer who captured him offered Uribe freedom if he accepted the government's anti-clerical laws and agreed to lead its schismatic church as bishop; he refused. In prison he wrote a final statement declaring his innocence of the charges against him and forgiving his enemies. On the night of 11 April 1927 he was taken from his cell, and on 12 April he was shot in the back of the neck near the station of San José Vista Hermosa.

Veneration

Uribe was beatified on 22 November 1992 and canonized by Pope John Paul II on 21 May 2000. His remains are venerated in the parish church of his hometown.