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Santa Fe was not the only area where the natives were violent against the missionaries. Throughout the New Mexico region, the anger of the natives was directed at the men who represented the harsh Christianity which had been enforced upon them. Fray Juan de Jesus, the missionary stationed at the Jemez village, was taken from his convent cell by the Indians and paraded naked through a dark Christian cemetery. After being mounted on a pig and mocked for his religious blathering, the Indians whipped him in imitation of the floggings received by their own people. The event ended with Fray Juan being beaten to death with clubs and his body left to rot. The Pueblo Indians at the Acomas village also stripped naked their missionaries, Fray Lucas Maldonado and Fray Juan de Val. Following this humiliation, the two friars were dragged to the doorway of their convent and violently murdered. Yet another incident of savageness directed at the missionaries occurred when Fray Agustine de Santa Maria was intercepted by the Zunis and Acomas Pueblos on his way from one village to another. He was forced to dismount from his horse. The Pueblos proceeded to attack the friar fatally with clubs and lances while he knelt on the ground in prayer. At one village, a Christianized Indian pleaded in vain with the other Moqui Pueblos to spare the lives of the friars who lived there. Fray José de Sepeleta, Fray José Trujillo and Fray José de Figuerosa were murdered in spite of the Indian's pleas. |