Japanese Saints And Martyrs

Bl. Michael Nakashima Feastday: December 25 1628 Jesuit martyr of Japan. A native Japanese, Michael was admitted to the Society of Jesus because of his holiness and courage. He hid priests and was placed under arrest for many months for harboring missionaries. Michael was then taken to Shimabara and was scalded to death in the hot springs at Mount Ungen. Pope Pius LX beatified him in 1867.

St. Francis Galvez Feastday: December 4 1623 Martyr of Japan. He was born in New Castile, Spain, and became a Franciscan in 1591. Assigned to Manila, Philippines, he worked there for twelve years and entered Japan in 1612. When the persecutions started, Francis went to Macau, where he had his skin dyed to make him appear Japanese. He entered Japan again in 1618 but was arrested. Francis was burned alive in Edo. He was beatified in 1867