Francis Diaz was an 18th-century Spanish Dominican missionary and bishop who served in China. Born in Écija, Spain, in 1713, he joined the Dominican Order in 1730. Due to eye health issues that limited his academic pursuits, he focused his studies on moral theology. After being ordained in Manila, he traveled to China in 1738. He worked clandestinely to serve Catholic communities during a period when foreign missionary activities were prohibited by the Manchu Dynasty.
Life and martyrdom
While working in the Fujian region, Diaz and his fellow Dominicans practiced their faith in secret to avoid detection by local authorities. In 1746, he was apprehended and placed in prison. Following a period of torture, he was executed by strangulation on October 28, 1748, alongside his companions.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes him as a saint. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 and later canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 as part of a group of Chinese martyrs. His feast days are observed on July 9 and October 28.