St. Paul Miki and companions



The first carried the announcement of the Christian faith in Japan was Saint Francis Xavier, who worked there from 1549 to 1551. In a few years became Christians around 300,000. Humanly speaking, it is double the "secret" which made possible the expansion: the respect that the Jesuit missionaries were the modes of Japanese life and beliefs not directly opposed to Christian teaching, and commitment of local elements to insert in word and in administration.
Jesuit catechist was a young man named Paul Miki, born between 1564 and 1566, from a rich family from Kyoto. I wanted to be a priest but his ordination was postponed "sine die", because the only diocese had not yet bishop. Furthermore, in 1587 the Emperor Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who proposed the conquest of Korea changed its benevolent attitude towards Christians and issued a decree expelling foreign missionaries.
The order was fulfilled in part: some missionaries remained in the country incognito, and in 1593 some Spanish Franciscans, led by Pedro Bautista, came to Japan from the Philippines and were well received by Hideyoshi. But soon after the final break came, including political anti-Spanish and anti-Western. On December 9, six Franciscans were arrested (Pedro Bautista, Martin de la Asuncion, Francisco Blanco, Philip Las Casas, Francisco de San Miguel and Gonzalo Garcia), three Jesuits (Paul Miki, John Soan de Goto and James Kisai) and fifteen laymen Tertiary Franciscans, who were added after two others were catechists.
After having cut the left lobe, the 26 were brought to Nagasaki meac to expose to the derision of crowds, rather admired the heroic courage expressed especially in the time of death, when they were crucified on a hill Nagasaki on 5 February 1597. Commotion woke the words of forgiveness and evangelical witness uttered by Paul Miki from the cross, and the serenity and courage they demonstrated Luis Ibaraki (11 years), Antonio (thirteen) and Tomas Cosaki (of fourteen), who died singing Psalm: Laudate, pueri, Dominum ...

Prayer
Father may Paul Miki
help us learn that defending
your Son's name is
worth dieing for so we can
always love on Earth and in
Heaven.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
AMEN

References: Catholic.Net

Popular posts from this blog

St. James the Greater

Image
The story and history of Saint James the Greater, who was one of the disciples of Jesus. James was prominent amongst the twelve apostles. He was James, the son of Zebedee, who was considered the greater apostle of those called James. James thought to be a cousin of Jesus, by the sister of the Virgin Mary, and the brother of Saint Jude Thaddeus. James worked as a fisherman with his brother John, his father Zebedee and his partner Simon. John and James were followers of John the Baptist and then Jesus. John the Baptist referred to Jesus with the words "Behold the Lamb of God!". He left his life as a fisherman when Jesus called him to be a fisher of men. He followed Jesus as one of his disciples until Jesus was crucified. James the Greater was chosen by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles and was given the mission to spread the gospel of Jesus. He made a pilgrimage to Spain to spread the word. St James returned to Judea, where he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I (10 BC -...
Read more

St. Maria Magdalena de Pazzi

Image
The Pazzi family, whose name is linked to the conspiracy against the Medici Grand Duke, in times of our holy, it was still the most important in Florence. Catherine de 'Pazzi (Mary Magdalene is the name of the holy Carmelite who took the day of her religious profession) was born in 1566 in a century rich in events in the civil and religious history in Italy and characterized by exceptional flowering of great saints. Maria Magdalena de Pazzi also participated in the historical and social situation of his time writing letters very brave to the Pope, cardinals, bishops and princes, noting the causes of the evils afflicting the Church, which she attributed to spiritual shortcomings of Christians and their pastors. This is a wonderful side of the saint associated with the passion of Christ with the stigmata and other mystical phenomena as visions, ecstasy, rapture, during which was difficult theological issues. Three sisters, responsible for the spiritual director, transcribed the revel...
Read more

St. Aubert of Avranches

Image
Saint Aubert was bishop of Avranches in the 8th century and is credited with founding Mont Saint Michel. He lived in France during the reign of Childebert III (695-711) and died in 720. According to legend, in 708 he had a vision in which the Archangel Michael instructed him to build an oratory on the rocky tidal island at the mouth of the Couesnon. Aubert did not pay attention to this vision at first, until in exasperation Michael appeared to him again, this time driving his finger into Aubert's skull and ordering him to complete the task again. Michael is said to have appeared to him a total of three times. After this the oratory was built. It was dedicated in October 16, 709, and Aubert is reputed to have been buried in it. The relic of Aubert's skull, complete with hole where the archangel's finger pierced it, can still be seen at the Saint-Gervais Basilica in Avranches. It is more generally believed nowadays that the skull is in fact a prehistoric relic showing evidenc...
Read more