Sebastián Montero facts for kids

Sebastián Montero was a Spanish priest from a town called Écija. He lived in the late 1500s and traveled to North America. He is known as the first person to bring Christianity to the area we now call North Carolina.

Montero's Journey to North America

Sebastián Montero came to North America with Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. His main goal was to teach the Native Americans about Christianity. This happened in the northern part of a large area the Spanish called Spanish Florida.

Montero also joined the explorer Juan Pardo on a journey. Montero served as a priest for Pardo's group. They traveled to what is now North Carolina.

The Mission at Guatari Village

In February 1567, Juan Pardo's group reached a village. This village belonged to the Wateree people. Its name was Guatari. Today, this area is in Rowan County.

The Spanish people renamed the village Salamanca. They did this to honor an old city in Spain. Juan Pardo decided to leave Montero and four soldiers there. Their leader was Lucas de Cañizares. Their job was to start a Catholic mission. A mission was like a church and a community center.

The mission stayed open for a few years. But around 1572, it closed down. After that, Sebastián Montero went back to Spain.