February 6 Martyrs of Nagasaki

If you ask a Catholic about martyrs, they will tell you about the thousands who died under various Roman rulers. The stories of the virgins and the peasants who refused to renounce their faith. With todays saints we travel to the far off land of Japan.

The time was the late 1500s. Franciscan and Jesuit missionary were traveling throughout the Far East and establishing communities. Japan was perhaps the most fearful of Western influences. The Emperor at first tried to discourage the missionaries. When they began establishing hospitals and schools open to Buddhists, he became enraged. As a show of his force and control, he rounded up twenty six believers for torture and public humiliation. Some were priests, some were lay people. Some were native Japanese, others came from countries around the world. Some were orphaned, some left behind families. Some were public friends of the Emperor, some labored in obscurity. The Emperor wanted to make the point that no one was safe from his power.

After rounding up the group, each had a portioned of the left ear cut off. Then they were taken on a promotional tour around Japan for three weeks. Put on public display, while the crowds were encouraged to ridicule and abuse the group. At each stop they were offered their freedom in exchange for denouncing Christianity. Not one accepted the offer. In the end, they were crucified together. Twenty six crosses on a hill.

Please take a moment to read about the lives of those who perished in remembrance of those whose faith was so strong, for whom much was given, and much taken away.