St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656–1680), known as the "Lily of the Mohawks," was the first Indigenous North American to be canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Orphaned at age four by a smallpox outbreak that left her partially blind and badly scarred, she later chose to convert, dedicated her life to prayer, and remains a powerful symbol of faith and Indigenous resilience.
Icon of St Kateri Tekakwitha at St Vincen'ts Catholic church in San Diego County, Robert Betancourt
