How St. Isaac Jogues Baptized Two New Converts With Drops Of Water On A Leaf

Spirituality

The Life of St. Isaac Jogues, p. 225: “Two of the Hurons, Jogues learned, were to be burned to death that night at Tionontoguen.  He stayed with them on the platform and concentrated his appeals on them.  Finally they consented.  About that moment, the Mohawks threw the prisoners some raw corn that had been freshly plucked.  The sheaths [of the corn] were wet from the recent rains.  Father Jogues carefully gathered the precious drops of water on a leaf and poured them over the heads of the two neophytes [new converts], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  The Mohawks understood that his [Jogues’] act meant to bring happiness to these hated victims.  They raged at his audacity and beat him down, threatening to slaughter him with the Hurons… That night the two Hurons [whom he had baptized] were burned over the fire.”