Luis Cáncer
Luis de Cáncer | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1500 Barbastro, Crown of Aragon, Spain |
| Died | 26 June 1549 (aged 48–49) Tampa Bay, Spanish Florida |
Luis Cáncer de Barbastro or Luis de Cáncer (1500 – 26 June 1549) was a Spanish Dominican priest and pioneer missionary to the New World. He undertook a non-violent approach to converting the American Indians to Christianity, and had significant success in this regard in the Caribbean and later in Guatemala. In 1549, he continued his mission work in Florida, an area already ravaged by previous explorers, and was killed on the shores of Tampa Bay. Since his death, he has been regarded by many as a martyr.