Saint-Jean-de-Luz is about 12km from the Spanish border, and 25km south of Bayonne. This village was sandwiched between the sea and kingdom of Navarre. It is possible that Saint-Jean-de-Luz was the route to Navarre, especially after Spain annexed Navarrese territory south of the Pyrenees in 1512. Navarre north of the Pyrenees was joined with France in 1620.
The Jewish Virtual Library reports that New Christians arrived in the 16th Century. In 1612 an official submitted a report to the Conseil d’Etat, notifying it of the presence of a large colony. In 1619 Catherine de Fernandés [Catarina Fernandes], recently arrived from Portugal, was accused of having spat at the Host (the communion wafer that Catholics believe turns into Jesus’ body). The case was investigated and dismissed, but the mob seized Catarina and burned her at the stake in the town square. At the same time a priest of Portuguese origin was also accused of being a crypto-Jew and of having been chosen as priest by a large number of Portuguese New Christians who, in fact, conducted themselves more like Jews than Christians. All the Portuguese New Christians were expelled from Saint-Jean, apparently fleeing to Biarritz.
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