San Lorenzo de Ibihica facts for kids

San Lorenzo de Ibihica was an important Spanish mission built a long time ago, in the early 1600s. It was located in what is now the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. This mission was part of Spain's plan to settle new lands in an area they called Spanish Florida. They also wanted to teach the local Timucua people about the Catholic religion. The mission specifically served a group of Timucua people known as the Ibi, or Ibihica.

History of San Lorenzo Mission

The San Lorenzo mission was built in the main village of the Ibi people, which was also called Ibihica. It was located deep inside Georgia, about 50 miles away from another mission called San Pedro de Mocama. San Pedro de Mocama was on Cumberland Island. The San Lorenzo mission was probably east of the Okefenokee Swamp. It was near the border between Charlton and Camden counties today. This spot was just north of the current border between Georgia and Florida. It was also between the St. Marys and Satilla Rivers.

Spanish efforts to reach the Ibi people started in 1597. A Franciscan friar named Fray Pedro Ruíz visited them. A Franciscan is a type of Catholic priest who belongs to a special religious group. Fray Ruíz had some success in teaching the Ibi people about Catholicism. He also helped their chief agree to Spanish authority. However, he had to leave later that year because of a conflict called the Guale Rebellion.

Because of this, the Ibi people did not have their own friar for a while. But friars from nearby missions, San Pedro de Mocama and San Juan del Puerto, visited them regularly. After 1616, the San Lorenzo de Ibihica mission was finally built. This gave the Ibi people their very own mission. It continued to operate until 1656. At that time, the mission and town were affected by the Timucua Rebellion.