Francisco María Píccolo facts for kids

Francisco María Piccolo (1654–1729) was a Jesuit missionary. He was one of the first to work in Baja California Sur, which is now part of Mexico. His letters and reports are very important. They help us learn about the native people and the early history of that area.

His Life and Work

Early Years and Training

Francisco Piccolo was born in Palermo, Sicily, on March 25, 1654. At that time, Sicily was part of the Kingdom of Spain. In 1673, he joined the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. This is a religious group within the Catholic Church. After his training, he became a priest. He then chose to go to the missions in New Spain (which is now Mexico).

Working in the Missions

Piccolo arrived in the Americas in 1684. For 13 years, he worked as a Jesuit missionary among the Tarahumara people in Chihuahua. In 1689, he made his final promises to the Jesuit order.

Later, he was sent to the new mission area of Baja California. Another Jesuit, Eusebio Francisco Kino, had tried twice to start a mission there but didn't succeed. So, Juan Maria Salvatierra, another Jesuit, was the only missionary to establish the first mission, Mission Loreto, in 1697. This mission was among the Monqui people. About a month later, Piccolo crossed the Gulf of California to help Salvatierra.

Founding New Missions

In 1699, Piccolo founded the second Baja California mission, San Francisco Javier. This mission was for the Cochimí people. He stayed there until 1701. He had to leave because of threats from the local people. He then went to Mexico City. There, he worked to support the Jesuit missions in Baja California.

From 1705 to 1709, he served as a visitador (a special visitor) for the Jesuit missions in Sonora. After that, he returned to Baja California. He worked at Mission Santa Rosalia until 1718. Then, he moved to Mission Loreto. He stayed there until he passed away on February 22, 1729.

His Writings and Explorations

Piccolo wrote an important report in 1702 called Informe. It was published in Mexico City. This report gave an early account of the missions in Baja California. He was very hopeful about the future of Baja California.

He also made several trips to explore new areas. He was looking for people to join the missions (called neophytes) and good places for new mission sites. These trips included journeys to places that would later become Mulegé, Mission La Purísima, and Mission San Ignacio. His travel accounts also contain important information about the native Cochimí people.

See also

In Spanish: Francisco María Píccolo para niños