The primary purposes of the Martyrs of La Florida Missions is to build a shrine honoring the Catholic Martyrs of Spanish La Florida, to support research on the lives of these individuals in service of their canonization as saints by the Roman Catholic Church, and to educate others about these individuals.

On May 15, 1513, when Juan Ponce de Leon approached the Florida Keys, he named them Las Martires (The Martyrs), because of the rocks' resemblance to suffering men. It was well named, because planting the seeds of faith in our nation would require a tremendous sacrifice and the lives of many.

History of the Shrine Effort

What the Bishops say