Mariano Gagnon, American missionary, Died at 88

  Religion

Mariano Gagnon was born Joseph Theodore Gagnon on 1929–2017.

He was an American Franciscan friar and Catholic priest.

Gagnon served as a missionary in Peru.

He founded the Cutivereni mission in Peru’s Ene River valley to assist the indigenous Asháninka people who were being forced out of their homes in the jungle by settlers.

Later, Gagnon become known for his work helping arm the Asháninka and eventually helping some Asháninka flee Cutivereni when it was facing attack from Shining Path guerrillas during the Internal conflict in Peru.

Gagnon would later write about his experiences during the conflict in the book Warriors in Eden.

Mariano Gagnon passed away at 88 years old.