February 6

These twenty-six martyrs are sometimes called the martyrs of Nagasaki

and the martyrs of Japan. St. Francis Xavier brought the Good News of

Christianity to Japan in 1549. Many received the Word and were baptized

by St. Francis himself. Although Francis moved on and eventually died

near the shores of China, the faith had grown in Japan. By 1587 there

were over two hundred thousand Catholics. Missionaries from various

religious orders were there. Japanese priests, religious and lay people

lived the faith joyfully.

In 1597, forty-five years after the arrival of Francis Xavier, a

powerful Japanese official, Hideyoshi, listened to the gossip of a Spanish

merchant. The merchant whispered that the missionaries were traitors of

Japan. He suggested that these traitors would cause Japan to be defeated

by Spain and Portugal. The claim was false and absurd. But as an

overreaction, Hideyoshi had twenty-six people arrested. The group

included six Franciscans from Spain, Mexico and India; three Japanese

Jesuit catechists, including St. Paul Miki; and seventeen Japanese

Catholic lay people, including children.

The twenty-six were led to the place of execution outside Nagasaki.

They were fastened to individual crosses with chains and cords and had

iron collars clamped around their necks. Each cross was hoisted and the

base was lowered into a hole dug for it. Spears were thrust into each of

the victims. They died almost at the same moment. Their blood-stained

clothes were treasured by the Christian community and miracles happened

through their intercession.

Each martyr was a gift to the Church. St. Paul Miki, a Jesuit

catechist, had been a great preacher. His last valiant homily came from

the cross as he encouraged the Christian community to be faithful until

death. It was February 5, 1597. St. Paul Miki and his companions were

proclaimed saints by Pope Gregory XVI in 1862.

We can pray every day for people who live in parts of the world where

they are persecuted for their beliefs. We can also ask St. Paul Miki and

his companions for courage to be faithful to Jesus.