Saint Joseph of Anchieta

Joseph of Anchieta, SJ (19 March 1534 – 9 June 1597), was a Spanish missionary to Brazil who played an influential role in establishing colonial settlements and is considered the father of Brazilian literature. Born in the Canary Islands, he was one of the founders of São Paulo in 1554 and Rio de Janeiro in 1565. Anchieta's efforts included religious instruction and evangelization among the indigenous population, alongside fellow Jesuit Manuel da Nóbrega. He is renowned for his book 'Arte de gramática da língua mais usada na costa do Brasil' (1595), which provided an orthography to Old Tupi, the language most commonly spoken along Brazil's coast. Anchieta was canonized by Pope Francis on 3 April 2014 and is known as 'the Apostle of Brazil.' He is also considered the third saint of Brazil and the second native of the Canary Islands to be declared a saint.