By Corazon Damo-Santiago
On February 5, 1577, 26 Christians hung on a cross on top of a hill in Nagasaki for public execution. It took them a month marching the 600 miles distance from Kyoto.
With blood oozing from wounds, the prisoners rode in a cart paraded on the streets of Kyoto, mocked, stoned and called bacas (stupid) by onlookers. There were others, however, who comforted them.
They would have been more bloodied, if not for the intervention of Captain Landecho of the Spanish galleon, so only the lobe of their left ears were severed.
It was Miki who boosted the morale of the group to trust God wholeheartedly.
In his last profession of faith, Miki said: “I am a Japanese by birth and a Jesuit by vocation. I am dying for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
It was also Miki who pleaded to his friend, Hanzaburo, the soldier assigned as chief executioner of the group, to postpone the execution until Friday, allow a priest, Father Passio, to hear their confession and participate in the celebration of the holy Mass, which were granted.
Martyred were three Japanese from the Society of Jesus: Miki, a novice seminarian; John Goto, a catechist; and Kisai, a lay brother.
There were six Franciscans from the Philippines: Frs. Pedro Baptista, Martin de Aguirre, Francis Blanco and Francis of Saint Michael; Indian Bro. Gonzalo Garcia, the official contractor tasked to build Franciscan churches and hospital for lepers in Macau and Osaka; and Bro. Philip de las Casas, a Mexican. The 17 Japanese laymen who were either catechists or interpreters included a physician, a soldier and altar boys.
Christianization of Japan
On April 7, 1541, Saint Francis Xavier, SJ, was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to East Indies. He went to Kagoshima in the southern part of Japan on April 15, 1549. His teachings were accompanied by numerous miracles that converted Japanese to the Catholic faith.
Thereafter, other religious missionaries dared to spread the faith in Japan.
With the Christianization of Filipinos by Spanish missionaries, Emperor Hideyoshi of Japan suspects that the Spanish missionaries from the Philippines were sent to conquer Japan after there were enough converts in their country, noted James Brodrick in Saint Francis Xavier 1506-1552.
The emperor started to persecute Christians and wrote the Spanish governor of Manila and Viceroy of India, as cited by Lorenzo Perez in Persecucion Martino de los Misioneros Franciscanos, Madrid 1923.
“The religious of your kingdom came here and passed through towns and various places, preaching their religion to lowly people, servants and slaves…. When I heard this I could not stand it, so I ordered them to be killed. For I have received information that in your kingdoms, the preaching of religion is a trick and a deceit with which you subject foreign kingdoms,” the emperor was quoted as saying. Although many evangelizers left, the decree was not immediately enforced and the Jesuits continued their discreet missionary work.
Japanese soldiers surrounded the Franciscan and Jesuit converts in Osaka and Kyoto on December 9, 1596.
On January 8, 1597, Emperor Hideyoshi promulgated the decree of death for the 26 evangelizers.
“These men have come from the Philippines with the title of ambassadors and remained in Kyoto preaching the Christian religion, which I vigorously prohibited in the past years. I, thus, command that they be executed along with the Japanese who have joined their religion. And so these 24 will be crucified in Nagasaki. Let all know that I again prohibit from now on the said religion,”Hideyoshi said.
First martyrs of East Asia
The crucifixion of the 26 martyrs were designated to be on Mount Hubon or Mount Kompira, 360 meters high overlooking the city of Nagasaki, the place where criminals were executed.
The Portuguese requested that the place be transferred to another site to distinguish the 26 from criminals. Hanzaburo, to show his goodwill, approved the request.
Miki was allowed to preach to about 4,000 Christians who prayed, wept and sang songs to the Lord and the Blessed Mother.
Miki said: “I am not from the Philippines. I am a Japanese and a Jesuit Brother…. Having arrived at this moment of my existence, I believe that no one of you thinks I want to hide the truth. That is why I have to declare to you that there is no other way of salvation than the one followed by Christians. Since this way teaches me to forgive my enemies and all who have offended me. I willingly forgive the king and all those who have desired my death. And I pray that they will obtain the desire of Christian baptism.”
In Voices of the Saints, Bert Ghezzi said Miki turned his eyes to his companions and as they await the lances that will pierce their hearts, they sang the Canticle of Zechariah: “Blessed be the Lord, The God of Israel; He has come to His people and set them free… You, My child shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give His people knowledge of salvation, by the forgiveness of their sins…” (Luke 2:68-79).
The executioners allowed them to finish the song, then thrust their spears into their side.
Beatified by Pope Urban VIII on September 14, 1627, they were canonized on June 8, 1862, by Pope Pius IX.
Their feast is February 5.
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Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.