09/09/2026
“The slave of the slaves forever.”
Wednesday, September 9th, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Peter Claver!
In the 1600s, Cartagena, Colombia was the brutal hub of the transatlantic slave trade. While human beings were treated as merchandise and discarded to die in filth, Father Peter Claver saw them as beloved children of God with infinite worth.
For 40 years, he boarded the dark, disease-ridden holds of incoming slave ships carrying food, medicine, and the love of Christ—cleaning their sores, clothing them, and baptizing over 300,000 enslaved souls. He was mocked, criticized, and isolated by high society, but he never stopped serving.
Saint Peter Claver challenges all of us: do we have eyes to see and love the people the world discards?
Saint Peter Claver, pray for us!
📍 Looking for a place to put your faith into action and find authentic community? Join us in person at St. Paul Inside the Walls! Head to the link in our bio or check out insidethewalls.org to see our upcoming events and get connected.