Isaac Jogues

Who was Isaac Jogues?

St. Isaac Jogues, S.J. was a Jesuit priest, missionary and martyr who traveled and worked among the native populations in North America. He gave the original European name to Lake George, calling it Lac du Saint Sacrement, Lake of the Blessed Sacrament. In 1646, Jogues was martyred by the Mohawks near present day Auriesville, New York.

Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf and six other martyred missionaries, all Jesuit priests or laymen associated with them, were canonized in 1930, and are known as "The North American Martyrs". Their feast day is celebrated on October 19 in the United States and on 26 September Canada.