Father Josimo Morais Tavares was born in 1953 in the state of Pará, Brazil, to a humble family of African descent. Leaving home at age eleven to attend seminary, Father Josimo was ordained a priest on January 20, 1979, and dedicated his ministry to pastoral and social solidarity with landless rural workers. Father Josimo’s ministry took place in the midst of military dictatorship, and he worked tirelessly to defend small farmers, agricultural workers, and the landless rural poor against the rural oligarchy of large landowners. Father Josimo worked as a coordinator for the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) in Bico do Papagaio, clearly defining his commitment to vulnerable communities in a region known for intense land disputes. This commitment caused him to be hated by landowners seeking to expand their landholdings, and Father Josimo began to receive death threats. On April 15, 1986, five shots were fired at his vehicle in an assassination attempt. On April 27, he delivered a report to the Diocesan Assembly of Tocantinópolis on his ministry, clarifying the reasons for the death threats against him. In this report, Josimo declared that he knew his death was coming because of his commitment to the Gospel call of solidarity with the poor and oppressed. He quoted scripture saying, “The disciple is not greater than the Master. If they persecute me, they will persecute you too.” On May 10, 1986, Fr. Josimo was shot twice as he was entering the Pastoral Land Commission offices in Imperatriz. He was able to walk to the hospital but died of his wounds two hours later. He was a poet and is remembered for his gentle demeanor, his love for dancing, playing soccer, playing the guitar, and listening to people tell their stories.