Born in Catalonia Spain in 1580, Saint Peter Claver studied at first at the University of Barcelona and then joined the Jesuits. He became friends with fellow brother Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez who encouraged him to be a missionary in the New World. Accordingly, Saint Peter went to Cartagena, a city in present-day Columbia where he was ordained in in 1615.

Cartagena was a center for the slave trade, and the young missionary knew where he could best serve God. He proclaimed himself, “the slave of the Negroes forever.” As ships would arrive with their human cargo, Saint Peter and a group of interpreters would rush into the hold with food and medicines. When the slaves were moved to pens to await sale, the saint continued to work among them, communicating God’s love with acts of generosity and teaching the Catholic faith.

He also led missions in the interior, refusing the hospitality of plantation owners and preferring to stay in the slave quarters. He organized charitable societies and is said to have baptized and catechized more than 300,000 enslaved persons.

Saint Peter Claver died on September 8, 1654. He was canonized with his friend Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez in 1888, by Pope Leo XIII. He is the worldwide patron saint of African Americans and of enslaved peoples.