THREE JAPANESE MARTYRS
St. Francis Nagasaki
Feastday: February 6
Francis is a Japanese from Miako. He became a physician and later was converted to Catholicism by the Franciscan missionaries in Japan. He became a Franciscan tertiary, served as a catechist, and was one of the twenty-six Catholics crucified for their Faith near Nagasaki on February 5 during the persecution of Christians by the Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. They were all canonized as the martyrs of Japan in 1862. He is also known as Francis of Miako. His feast day is February 6th.
St. Paul Miki
Feastday: February 6
Paul was the son of a Japanese military leader. He was born at Tounucumada, Japan, was educated at the Jesuit college of Anziquiama, joined the Jesuits in 1580, and became known for his eloquent preaching. He was crucified on Februay 5 with twenty-five other Catholics during the persecution of Christians under the Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ruler of Japan in the name of the emperor. Among the Japanese layment who suffered the same fate were: Francis, a carpenter who was arrested while watching the executions and then crucified; Gabriel, the nineteen year old son of the Franciscan's porter; Leo Kinuya, a twenty-eight year old carpenter from Miyako; Diego Kisai (or Kizayemon), temporal coadjutor of the Jesuits; Joachim Sakakibara, cook for the Franciscans at Osaka; Peter Sukejiro, sent by a Jesuit priest to help the prisoners, who was then arrested; Cosmas Takeya from Owari, who had preached in Osaka; and Ventura from Miyako, who had been baptized by the Jesuits, gave up his Catholicism on the death of his father, became a bonze, and was brought back to the Church by the Franciscans. They were all canonized as the Martyrs of
Japan in 1862. Their feast day is February 6th.
St. Anthony Dainan
Feastday: February 6
1597
One of the Japanese Martyrs, an altar boy, aged thirteen. Anthony was a Japanese from Nagasaki and a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. Arrested by the Japanese authorities, he was crucified. He was beatified in 1627 and canonized in 1862
St. Thomas Danki
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr. A native layman, he entered the Franciscans as a tertiary and served as an interpreter for the Franciscan missionaries in Japan until arrested by authorities and crucified at Nagasaki with twenty-five other companions. He was canonized in 1886 and is counted as one of the companions of St. Paul Miki
St. Thomas Kozaki
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr. The son of St. Michael Kozaki, he was a boy of fifteen who aided the Franciscan missionaries and was crucified at Nagasaki with twenty-five other companions, including his father, lIe was canonized in 1862 and is counted among the companions of St. Paul Miki.
St. James Kisai
Feastday: February 6
1597
Jesuit martyr in Japan. A native of Japan, he entered the Society of Jesus and worked as a catechist until his execution by crucifixion at the age of sixty four.
St. John Soan de Goto
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr of Japan. He was only nineteen at the time of his crucifixion at Nagasaki with many companions
St. Francis of St. Michael
Feastday: February 6
1597
Franciscan martyr of Japan. Born in Parilla, Spain, he was a Franciscan lay brother sent to Manila, in the Philippines. In 1593, he accompanied St. Peter Baptist to Japan. After three years he was arrested at Osaka, Japan, with St. Peter Baptist and twenty-four others.They were crucified near Nagasaki on February 5. He was canonized in 1862 as a Martyr of Japan
St. Martin Loynaz of the Ascension
Feastday: February 6
Franciscan martyr of Japan. He was born at Vergara, Navarre, Spain, and became a Franciscan in 1586 . Martin was assigned to Mexico and Manila, in the Philippines, before serving in Japan. He was crucified at Nagasaki and was canonized in 1862.
St. Martin de Aguirre
Feastday: February 6
Missionary and martyr, one of the Martyrs of Japan. he was born in Vergara, Spain, a community near modern Pamplona. In 1586 hejoined the Franciscan Order and was ordained. Martin volunteered for the missions and was sent to Mexico and then to Manila in the Philippines. From Manila, Martin went to Japan, where the Church was converting hundreds in all regions. Christianity was tolerated in Japan at the time, and Martin was able to preach and instruct his Japanese parishioners. Within the Japanese government, however, many counseled opposition to the Christian faith, which they believed was but a prelude to a European invasion. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, at that time the power in Japan, was finally convinced that Christianity was a threat to Japanese peace and independence, and decided to rid his country of all foreign influence. He instituted a persecution that involved thousands, including the European missionaries. Martin was arrested with twenty-five of his converts. They were crucified on February 25, 1597, near Nagasaki. All of the Martyrs of Japan were canonized in 1862.
St. Matthias of Meako
Feastday: February 6
1597
Martyr of Japan. A native Japanese from Meako, Matthias became a Franciscan tertiary. Matthias was not listed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi as one of the twenty-six Christians to be slain as examples; however, he took the place of one of the designated martyrs and was crucified with St. Peter Baptist and companions in Nagasaki. Matthias was canonized in 1862
St. Michael Kozaki
Feastday: February 6
1597
Martyr of Japan. He was a native Japanese catechist who served as a hospital nurse and was arrested for being a Christian. His son, St. Thomas Kozaki, died with him as did St. Peter Baptist and companions. They were crucified at Nagasaki. Michael was canonized in 1862.
St. Peter Shukeshiko
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr. A native Japanese, he was a devoted Christian who remained a layman but served as a Franciscan tertiary, catechist, and an assistant to the Franciscan missionaries. Arrested with the group of martyrs surrounding St. Peter Baptist, he was crucified near Nagasaki.
Feastday: February 6
Francis is a Japanese from Miako. He became a physician and later was converted to Catholicism by the Franciscan missionaries in Japan. He became a Franciscan tertiary, served as a catechist, and was one of the twenty-six Catholics crucified for their Faith near Nagasaki on February 5 during the persecution of Christians by the Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. They were all canonized as the martyrs of Japan in 1862. He is also known as Francis of Miako. His feast day is February 6th.
St. Paul Miki
Feastday: February 6
Paul was the son of a Japanese military leader. He was born at Tounucumada, Japan, was educated at the Jesuit college of Anziquiama, joined the Jesuits in 1580, and became known for his eloquent preaching. He was crucified on Februay 5 with twenty-five other Catholics during the persecution of Christians under the Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ruler of Japan in the name of the emperor. Among the Japanese layment who suffered the same fate were: Francis, a carpenter who was arrested while watching the executions and then crucified; Gabriel, the nineteen year old son of the Franciscan's porter; Leo Kinuya, a twenty-eight year old carpenter from Miyako; Diego Kisai (or Kizayemon), temporal coadjutor of the Jesuits; Joachim Sakakibara, cook for the Franciscans at Osaka; Peter Sukejiro, sent by a Jesuit priest to help the prisoners, who was then arrested; Cosmas Takeya from Owari, who had preached in Osaka; and Ventura from Miyako, who had been baptized by the Jesuits, gave up his Catholicism on the death of his father, became a bonze, and was brought back to the Church by the Franciscans. They were all canonized as the Martyrs of
Japan in 1862. Their feast day is February 6th.
St. Anthony Dainan
Feastday: February 6
1597
One of the Japanese Martyrs, an altar boy, aged thirteen. Anthony was a Japanese from Nagasaki and a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. Arrested by the Japanese authorities, he was crucified. He was beatified in 1627 and canonized in 1862
St. Thomas Danki
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr. A native layman, he entered the Franciscans as a tertiary and served as an interpreter for the Franciscan missionaries in Japan until arrested by authorities and crucified at Nagasaki with twenty-five other companions. He was canonized in 1886 and is counted as one of the companions of St. Paul Miki
St. Thomas Kozaki
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr. The son of St. Michael Kozaki, he was a boy of fifteen who aided the Franciscan missionaries and was crucified at Nagasaki with twenty-five other companions, including his father, lIe was canonized in 1862 and is counted among the companions of St. Paul Miki.
St. James Kisai
Feastday: February 6
1597
Jesuit martyr in Japan. A native of Japan, he entered the Society of Jesus and worked as a catechist until his execution by crucifixion at the age of sixty four.
St. John Soan de Goto
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr of Japan. He was only nineteen at the time of his crucifixion at Nagasaki with many companions
St. Francis of St. Michael
Feastday: February 6
1597
Franciscan martyr of Japan. Born in Parilla, Spain, he was a Franciscan lay brother sent to Manila, in the Philippines. In 1593, he accompanied St. Peter Baptist to Japan. After three years he was arrested at Osaka, Japan, with St. Peter Baptist and twenty-four others.They were crucified near Nagasaki on February 5. He was canonized in 1862 as a Martyr of Japan
St. Martin Loynaz of the Ascension
Feastday: February 6
Franciscan martyr of Japan. He was born at Vergara, Navarre, Spain, and became a Franciscan in 1586 . Martin was assigned to Mexico and Manila, in the Philippines, before serving in Japan. He was crucified at Nagasaki and was canonized in 1862.
St. Martin de Aguirre
Feastday: February 6
Missionary and martyr, one of the Martyrs of Japan. he was born in Vergara, Spain, a community near modern Pamplona. In 1586 hejoined the Franciscan Order and was ordained. Martin volunteered for the missions and was sent to Mexico and then to Manila in the Philippines. From Manila, Martin went to Japan, where the Church was converting hundreds in all regions. Christianity was tolerated in Japan at the time, and Martin was able to preach and instruct his Japanese parishioners. Within the Japanese government, however, many counseled opposition to the Christian faith, which they believed was but a prelude to a European invasion. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, at that time the power in Japan, was finally convinced that Christianity was a threat to Japanese peace and independence, and decided to rid his country of all foreign influence. He instituted a persecution that involved thousands, including the European missionaries. Martin was arrested with twenty-five of his converts. They were crucified on February 25, 1597, near Nagasaki. All of the Martyrs of Japan were canonized in 1862.
St. Matthias of Meako
Feastday: February 6
1597
Martyr of Japan. A native Japanese from Meako, Matthias became a Franciscan tertiary. Matthias was not listed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi as one of the twenty-six Christians to be slain as examples; however, he took the place of one of the designated martyrs and was crucified with St. Peter Baptist and companions in Nagasaki. Matthias was canonized in 1862
St. Michael Kozaki
Feastday: February 6
1597
Martyr of Japan. He was a native Japanese catechist who served as a hospital nurse and was arrested for being a Christian. His son, St. Thomas Kozaki, died with him as did St. Peter Baptist and companions. They were crucified at Nagasaki. Michael was canonized in 1862.
St. Peter Shukeshiko
Feastday: February 6
1597
Japanese martyr. A native Japanese, he was a devoted Christian who remained a layman but served as a Franciscan tertiary, catechist, and an assistant to the Franciscan missionaries. Arrested with the group of martyrs surrounding St. Peter Baptist, he was crucified near Nagasaki.
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