Paul-Antoine Léonard de Villefeix

Paul-Antoine Léonard de Villefeix OP (born 1728, date of death unknown) was a French Dominican priest. He conducted the first Christian service in New Zealand. He was the chaplain of French navigator and explorer Jean-François-Marie de Surville when de Surville, in his ship, the Saint Jean Baptiste, sighted the North Island of New Zealand in 1769. De Surville remained two weeks in Doubtless Bay, near Whatuwhiwhi, where Villefeix celebrated the first Mass in New Zealand waters on Christmas Day 1769.
Early life
Villefeix was born near Etouars in Perigord. One of his brothers, Léonard de Lestang, was also a priest, himself becoming parish priest of Etouars.
Chaplain
Villefeix was invited by the Surville family to be the chaplain for an expedition to the South Pacific on the ship Saint Jean Baptiste led by navigator and explorer Jean-François-Marie de Surville. In December 1869 the ship arrived in Doubtless Bay and a landing was...