Sebastián Montero (born in
Écija) was a
Spanishsecular priest who was active in the later half of the sixteenth century in North America. In the historical record, Montero was the first person to introduce Christianity in what is now North Carolina.[1][self-published source]
In February 1567, the Pardo expedition arrived at a
Wateree village called Guatari in what is now
Rowan County. The Spaniards called the village Salamanca in honor of the ancient city of
Salamanca in western Spain. Pardo left Montero and four soldiers, under the command of Lucas de Cañizares, in the village to establish a
Catholic mission.[3] The mission was abandoned around 1572 and Montero subsequently returned to Spain.[4][5][6]