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The Martyrs of Japan

Saint Paul Miki and Companions

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There were 26, martyred on the same day, February 5, 1597……….

In the year 1549 Saint Francis Xavier arrived in Japan and converted many pagans.

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Already in the year 1597 there were several thousand Christians in that country. And a most cruel and vicious emperor came into government, who ordered that all Catholic missionaries should leave Japan within six months. But the missionaries, instead of fleeing the country, what they did was hide, in order to continue helping the Christians. They were discovered and brutally martyred. Those who died on this day in Nagasaki were 26. Three Jesuits, six Franciscans and 16 Japanese Catholic laymen, who were catechists and had become Franciscan tertiaries.

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The Jesuit martyrs were: Saint Paul Miki, a Japanese from a high-class family, the son of an army captain and a very good preacher; Saint John Goto and Santiago Kisai, two Jesuit coadjutor brothers. The Franciscans were: San Felipe de Jesús, a Mexican who had gone on a mission to Asia. San Gonzalo García who was from India, San Francisco Blanco, San Pedro Bautista, superior of the Franciscans in Japan and San Francisco de San Miguel.

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Among the laity were: a soldier: San Cayo Francisco; a doctor: San Francisco de Miako; a Korean: San Leon Karasuma, and three thirteen-year-old boys who helped the priests at Mass: the children: San Luis Ibarqui, San Antonio Deyman, and San Totomaskasaky, whose father was also martyred.

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The 26 Catholics had their left ears cut off, and thus bloodied they were taken on foot in the middle of winter, from town to town, for a month, to scare and frighten all those who wanted to become Christians.

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When they arrived in Nagasaki they were allowed to confess to the priests, and then they were crucified, tied to the crosses with ropes and chains on their legs and arms and fastened to the cross with an iron ring around their necks. Between one cross and another there was a distance of one and a half meters.

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The Catholic Church declared them saints in 1862.

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Witnesses to his martyrdom and death relate it as follows: «Once crucified, it was admirable to see the fervor and patience of all. The priests encouraged others to suffer everything for love of Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls.» Father Pedro was motionless, with his eyes fixed on the sky Brother Martin sang psalms, in thanksgiving to God’s goodness, and between sentences he repeated that prayer from Psalm 30: «Father, in your hands I commend my spirit». Brother Gonzalo fervently prayed the Our Father and the Hail Mary».

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It seemed to Father Pablo Miki that that cross was the most honorable pulpit or place to preach that they had obtained for him, and he began to tell all those present (Christians and onlookers) that he was Japanese, that he belonged to the company of Jesus, or society of the Jesuit Fathers, who died for having preached the gospel and who gave thanks to God for having granted him the enormous honor of being able to die for propagating the true religion of God. He then added the following words:

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«At this final moment of my existence on earth, surely none of you will believe that I will dare to say what is not true. I declare to you, then, that the best way to achieve salvation is to belong to the Christian religion, being a Catholic. And as my Lord Jesus Christ taught me with his words and good examples to forgive those who have offended us, I declare that I forgive the head of the nation who gave the order to crucify us, and all those who have contributed to our martyrdom, and I recommend that you hopefully be instructed in our holy religion and be baptized».

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Then, turning his eyes towards his companions, he began to encourage them in that decisive fight; A great joy was seen on everyone’s face, especially on that of the boy Luis; This one, when another Christian shouted to him that he would soon be in Paradise, drew everyone’s gaze to himself by the gesture full of joy that he made.

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The boy Antonio, who was next to Luis, with his eyes fixed on heaven, after having invoked the most holy names of Jesus, Joseph and Mary, was able to sing the psalms that he had learned in catechism class. Others were continually heard saying: «Jesus, Joseph and Mary, I give you my heart and soul.» Several of those crucified advised the people present to remain faithful to our holy religion forever. Then the executioners drew their spears and struck each of the crucified two spears, which in a few moments ended their lives. The horrified Christian people shouted: Jesus, Joseph and Mary!