Antonio Margil

Antonio Margil, OFM (18 August 1657 – 6 August 1726) was a Spanish Franciscan missionary in North and Central America. Based at the College of Santa Cruz in Santiago de Querétaro, after 1715, he worked largely in Texas and Louisiana. Father Margil was declared "Venerable" in 1836.

Life Antonio Margil was born in Valencia, Spain, on August 18, 1657. Margil entered the Franciscan Order in his native city on 22 April 1673. After his ordination to the priesthood, he volunteered for the Native American missions and arrived at Vera Cruz on 6 June 1683. He was stationed at the missionary College of Santa Cruz de Querétaro, but was generally engaged in reaching missions in Yucatan, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and especially in Guatemala.

He always walked barefooted, without sandals, fasted every day in the year, never used meat or fish, and applied the discipline and other instruments of penance to himself. He slept very little but passed in prayer the greater part of the night, as well as the time allotted for the siesta. and more than twenty civilians). Margil founded the mission of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe to serve the Nacogdoche. In a 1716 letter to the viceroy of New Spain, Margil was the first to refer to these territories as the province of New Philippines.

Margil returned with Ramon in 1717 and founded Nuestra Señora de los Dolores among the Eyeish.

Louisiana From the Eyeish, Margil heard of the Adai people, and in March, 1717, located them near Spanish Lake. He founded the mission of San Miguel de Linares, This was just 20 miles (32 km) west of the French fort at Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Leaving Father Gusman in charge, Margil journeyed on foot to Natchitoches to minister to the French Catholics there, and then went back to Texas. He remained near the present city of San Antonio, Texas for more than a year.