The Martyrs of Japan (日本の殉教者, Nihon no junkyōsha) were Christian missionaries and followers who were persecuted and executed for their faith in Japan, mostly during the Tokugawa shogunate period in the 17th century.
Background
Christian missionaries arrived with Francis Xavier and the Jesuits in the 1540s and briefly flourished, with over 100,000 converts, including many daimyōs in Kyushu. The shogunate and imperial government at first supported the Catholic mission and the missionaries, thinking that they would reduce the power of the Buddhist monks, and help trade with Spain and Portugal. However, the Shogunate was also wary of colonialism, seeing that the Spanish had taken power in the Philippines, after converting the population. It soon met resistance from the highest office holders of Japan. Emperor Ogimachi issued edicts to ban Catholicism in 1565 and 1568, but to little effect. Beginning in 1587 with imperial regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s ban on Jesuit missionaries, Christianity was repressed as a threat to national unity. Many Christians were executed by burning at the stake in Nagasaki. After the Tokugawa shogunate banned Christianity in 1620, it ceased to exist publicly. Many Catholics went underground, becoming hidden Christians (隠れキリシタン, kakure kirishitan), while others were killed. Only after the Meiji Restoration, was Christianity re-established in Japan.
The first group of martyrs, known as the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan (1597), was canonized by the Church in 1862 by Pope Pius IX.
Martyrdom
The persecution of Missionaries and Christian followers continued after the martyrdom of the twenty-six individuals in 1597. Jesuit fathers and others who had successfully fled to the Philippines wrote reports which led to a pamphlet that was printed in Madrid in 1624 "A Short Account of the Great and Rigorous Martyrdom, which last year (1622) was suffered in Japan by One Hundred and Eighteen Martyrs'.
Through the promulgation of decree on martyrdom, Pope Pius IX declared these martyrs venerable on 26 February 1866 and subsequently beatified them on 26 July 1867. Their feast day is September 10, the day of the Great Genna Martyrdom.
This group is also known as Alfonso Navarrette Benito, Perdo of Ávila, Carlo Spinola, Ioachim Díaz Hirayama, Lucia de Freitas, and 200 companions.
Ordained martyrs
Augustinian and Augustinian Recollect
Foreign missionaries
Blessed Ferdinand Ayala of Saint Joseph (OSA) – 1 June 1617
Blessed Peter de Zúñiga (OSA) – 19 August 1622
Blessed Bartolomé Gutiérrez Rodríguez (OSA) – 3 September 1632
Blessed Francis of Jesus Terrero (OAR) – 3 September 1632
Blessed Vincent of Saint Antony Simeons (OAR) – 3 September 1632
Blessed Martin of St. Nicholas Lumbreras (OAR) – 3 September 1632
Blessed Melchior of St. Augustine Sánchez (OAR) – 3 September 1632
Japanese missionary
Blessed Thomas of Saint Augustine Jihyoe aka "Kintsuba" (OSA) - 6 November 1637
Dominican
Foreign missionaries
Blessed Alonso de Mena Navarette – 10 September 1622
Blessed Alfonso Navarrete-Benito – 1 June 1617
Blessed Angelo of Saint Vincent Ferrer Orsucci – 10 September 1622
Blessed Domingo Castellet Vinale – 8 September 1628
Blessed Francisco Morales Sedeño – 10 September 1622
Blessed Jacinto Orfanell-Prades – 10 September 1622
Blessed Jose of Saint Hyacinth Maroto – 10 September 1622
Blessed Juan Martínez Cid – 19 March 1619
Blessed Luis Bertrán Exarch – 29 July 1627
Blessed Luis Flores (Louis Fraryn) – 19 August 1622
Blessed Pedro of Saint Catherine Vásquez – 25 August 1624
Blessed Tomás of the Holy Spirit – 12 September 1622
Japanese
Blessed Antonio of Saint Dominic - 8 September 1628
Blessed Dominicus of the Rosary Magoshichirō – 10 September 1622
Blessed Mancius of the Cross – 29 July 1627
Blessed Mancius of Saint Thomas Shibata – 12 September 1622
Blessed Petrus of Saint Mary – 29 July 1627
Blessed Thomas of the Rosary – 10 September 1622
Blessed Thomas of Saint Hyacinth – 8 September 1628
Franciscan – Alcantarines
Foreign missionaries
Blessed Antonius of Saint Francis – 16 August 1627
Blessed Francisco de Gálve Iranzo – 4 December 1623
Blessed Francisco of Saint Mary – 16 August 1627
Blessed Gabriel of the Magdalene – 3 September 1632
Blessed Pedro of the Assumption – 22 May 1617
Blessed Pedro of Ávila – 10 September 1622
Blessed Vincent of Saint Joseph Ramírez – 10 September 1622
Japanese
Blessed Antonio of Saint Dominic – 8 September 1628
Blessed Dominicus of Saint Francis – 8 September 1628
Blessed Franciscus of Saint Bonaventure – 12 September 1622
Blessed Paulus of Saint Clare – 12 September 1622
Franciscan – Observant
Foreign missionaries
Blessed Apolinar Franco Garcia – 12 September 1622
Blessed Bartolomé Días Laurel – 16 August 1627
Blessed Juan Santamarta – 16 August 1618
Blessed Luis Cabrera Sotelo – 25 August 1624
Blessed Richard of Saint Anne – 10 September 1622
Japanese
Blessed Louis Sasada – 25 August 1624
Jesuit
Foreign missionaries
Blessed Ambrosio Fernandes – 7 January 1620
Blessed Baltasar de Torres Arias – 20 June 1626
Blessed Camillo Battista Constanzo – 15 September 1622
Blessed Carlo Spinola – 10 September 1622
Blessed Diogo Carvalho (martyr) (Didacus Carvalho) – 22 February 1624
Blessed Francisco Pacheco SJ – 20 June 1626
Blessed John Baptist Zola – 20 June 1626
Blessed Girolamo de Angelis – 4 December 1623
Blessed João Baptista Machado de Távora – 22 May 1617
Blessed Miguel de Carvalho – 25 August 1624
Blessed Pietro Paolo Navarra – 1 November 1622
Japanese
Blessed Antonius Ishida Kyūtaku – 3 September 1632
Blessed Antonius Kyūni – 10 September 1622
Blessed Augustinus Ōta – 10 August 1622
Blessed Dionisius Fujishima Jubyōe – 1 November 1622
Blessed Gaspar Sadamatsu – 20 June 1626
Blessed Gundisalvus Fusai Chōzō – 10 September 1622
Blessed Ioannes Chūgoku – 10 September 1622
Blessed Joannes Kisaku – 20 June 1626
Blessed Leonardus Kimura – 18 November 1619
Blessed Ludovicus Kawara Rokuemon – 10 September 1622
Blessed Michaël Nakashima Saburōemon – 25 December 1628
Blessed Michaël Satō Shunpō – 10 September 1622
Blessed Michaël Tōzō – 20 June 1626
Blessed Paulus Shinsuke – 20 June 1626
Blessed Petrus Onizuka Sadayū – 1 November 1622
Blessed Petrus Rinsei – 20 June 1626
Blessed Petrus Sanpō – 10 September 1622
Blessed Sebastianus Kimura – 10 September 1622
Blessed Simon Enpō – 4 December 1623
Blessed Thomas Akahoshi – 10 September 1622
Blessed Thomas Tsūji – 7 September 1627
Blessed Vincentius Kaǔn (Korean) – 20 June 1626
Martyred laity
Augustinian laity
Japanese religious brother
Blessed John Shozaburo – 28 October 1630
Japanese oblates
Blessed Michael Kiuchi Tayemon – 28 October 1630
Blessed Peter Kuhieye – 28 October 1630
Blessed Thomas Terai Kahioye – 28 October 1630
Japanese tertiaries
Blessed Lawrence Hachizo – 28 October 1630
Blessed Mancio Seisayemon – 28 October 1630
Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki (OAR) - 15 October 1634
Dominican laity
Foreign Missionaries – Confraternity of the Holy Rosary
Blessed Domingos Jorge – 18 November 1619
Japanese – Confraternity of the Holy Rosary
Blessed Agnes Takeya (Korean) – 10 September 1622
Blessed Alexius Nakamura – 27 November 1619
Blessed Andreas Murayama Tokuan – 18 November 1619
Blessed Andreas Yoshida – 1 October 1617
Blessed Antonius Hamanomachi (Korean) – 10 September 1622
Blessed Antonius Kimura – 27 November 1619
Blessed Antonius Sanga – 10 September 1622
Blessed Antonius Yamada – 19 August 1622
Blessed Apollonia of Nagasaki – 10 September 1622
Blessed Bartholomaeus Kawano Shichiemon – 10 September 1622
Blessed Bartholomaeus Mohyōe – 19 August 1622
Blessed Bartholomaeus Seki – 27 November 1619
Blessed Catharina of Nagasaki (Korean) – 10 September 1622
Blessed Clara Yamada – 10 September 1622
Blessed Clemens Ono – 10 September 1622
Blessed Cosmas Takeya Sozaburō (Korean) – 18 November 1619
Blessed Damianus Tanda Yaichi – 10 September 1622
Blessed Dominicus Nakano – 10 September 1622
Blessed Dominicus Yamada – 10 September 1622
Blessed Dominica Ogata – 10 September 1622
Blessed Gaspar Ueda Hikojirō – 1 October 1617
Blessed Iacobus Matsuo Denji – 19 August 1622
Blessed Joannes Iwanaga – 27 November 1619
Blessed Ioannes Miyazaki Soemon – 19 August 1622
Blessed Joannes Motoyama – 27 November 1619
Blessed Ioannes Nagata Matashichi – 19 August 1622
Blessed Ioannes Yagō (Korean) – 19 August 1622
Blessed Joannes Yoshida Shōun – 18 November 1619
Blessed Ioachim Diaz Hirayama – 19 August 1622
Blessed Isabella Fernandes – 10 September 1622
Blessed Jakub Bunzō Gengorō – 17 August 1620
Blessed Laurentius Ikegami Rokusuke – 19 August 1622
Blessed Leo Nakanishi – 27 November 1619
Blessed Leo Sukeemon – 19 August 1622
Blessed Matthias Kozasa – 27 November 1619
Blessed Matthias Nakano – 27 November 1619
Blessed Magdalena Kiyota Bokusai – 17 August 1620
Blessed Magdalena Sanga – 10 September 1622
Blessed Marcus Takenoshita Shin’emon – 19 August 1622
Blessed Maria Gengorō – 17 August 1620
Blessed Maria Hamanomachi – 10 September 1622
Blessed Maria Murayama – 10 September 1622
Blessed Maria Tanaura – 10 September 1622
Blessed Maria Yoshida – 10 September 1622
Blessed Michaël Diaz Hori – 19 August 1622
Blessed Michaël Takeshita – 27 November 1619
Blessed Paulus Sankichi – 19 August 1622
Blessed Romanus Motoyama Myotarō – 27 November 1619
Blessed Rufus Ishimoto – 10 September 1622
Blessed Simon Kiyota Bokusai – 17 August 1620
Blessed Thecla Nagaishi – 10 September 1622
Blessed Thomas Gengorō – 17 August 1620
Blessed Thomas Koteda Kyūmi – 27 November 1619
Blessed Thomas Koyanagi – 19 August 1622
Blessed Thomas Shichirō – 10 September 1622
Japanese tertiaries
Blessed Alexius Sanbashi Saburō – 10 September 1622
Blessed Caius Akashi Jiemon (Korean) – 16 August 1627
Blessed Dominicus Shobyōye – 16 September 1628
Blessed Francisca Pinzokere – 16 August 1627
Blessed Gaspar Koteda – 11 September 1622
Blessed Iacobus Hayashida – 10 September 1628
Blessed Ioannes Imamura – 8 September 1628
Blessed Joannes Tomachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Leo Aibara – 8 September 1628
Blessed Leo Kurōbyōe Nakamura – 16 August 1627
Blessed Lucia Ludovica – 8 September 1628
Blessed Ludovicus Nihachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Magdalena Kiyota – 16 August 1627
Blessed Maria Tanaka – 10 September 1622
Blessed Matthaeus Alvarez Anjin – 8 September 1628
Blessed Michaël Himonoya – 16 September 1628
Blessed Michaël Yamada Kasahashi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Paulus Aibara Sandayū – 8 September 1628
Blessed Paulus Himonoya – 16 September 1628
Blessed Paulus Nagaishi – 10 September 1622
Blessed Paulus Tanaka – 10 September 1622
Blessed Romanus Aibara – 8 September 1628
Franciscan laity
Japanese tertiaries
Blessed Franciscus Kuhyōe – 16 August 1627
Blessed Gaspar Vaz (Korean) – 16 August 1627 Tsuji Shōbyōe
Blessed Hieronymus of the Cross – 3 September 1632 Iyo
Blessed Leo Satsuma – 10 September 1622
Blessed Louis Baba – 25 August 1624
Blessed Ludovicus Maki Soetsu – 7 September 1627
Blessed Ludovicus Matsuo Soyemon – 16 August 1627
Blessed Lucia de Freitas – 10 September 1622
Blessed Lucas Tsuji Kyūemon – 16 August 1627
Blessed Martinus Gómez Tōzaemon – 1 August 1627
Blessed Maria Vaz (Korean) – 16 August 1627 Maria Shōbyōe
Blessed Michaël Koga Kizayemon – 16 August 1627
Blessed Thomas Satō Shin’emon (Korean) – 16 August 1627
Catechist laity
Japanese
Blessed Caius of Korea (Korean) – 15 November 1624
Blessed Leo Tanaka (martyr) – 1 June 1617
Blessed Matthias of Nagasaki – 27 May 1620
Christian laity
Japanese
Blessed Andreas Yakichi – 2 October 1622
Blessed Antonius Ono – 10 September 1622
Blessed Catharina Tanaka – 12 July 1626
Blessed Clemens Kyūemon – 1 November 1622
Blessed Dominicus Magoshichi – 12 September 1622
Blessed Dominicus Nihachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Dominicus Tomachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Franciscus Nihachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Franciscus Takeya – 11 September 1622
Blessed Franciscus Yakichi – 2 October 1622
Blessed Ignatius Jorge-Fernandes – 10 September 1622
Blessed Ioannes Hamanomachi – 10 September 1622
Blessed Ioannes Maki Jizaemon – 7 September 1627
Blessed Ioannes Onizuka Naizen – 12 July 1626
Blessed Ioannes Tanaka – 12 July 1626
Blessed Laurentius Yamada – 8 September 1628
Blessed Lucia Yakichi – 2 October 1622
Blessed Ludovicus Onizuka – 12 July 1626
Blessed Ludovicus Yakichi – 2 October 1622
Blessed Mancius Araki Kyūzaburō – 8 July 1626
Blessed Matthias Araki Hyōzaemon – 12 July 1626
Blessed Michaël Tanda – 10 September 1622
Blessed Michaël Tomachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Monica Onizuka – 12 July 1626
Blessed Paulus Tomachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Petrus Araki Chobyōe – 12 July 1626
Blessed Petrus Hamanomachi (Korean) – 10 September 1622
Blessed Petrus Kawano – 11 September 1622
Blessed Petrus Nagaishi – 10 September 1622
Blessed Thomas Tomachi – 8 September 1628
Blessed Zuzanna Araki Chobyōe – 12 July 1626
See also
Christianity in Japan
Great Genna Martyrdom
Kirishitan
Martyrs of Japan
Nanban trade
Paulo Miki
Roman Catholicism in Japan
Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument
References
Sources
Broeckaert, Joseph (1869). Life of the Blessed Charles Spinola, of the Society of Jesus: with a sketch of the other Japanese martyrs, beatified on the 7th of July, 1867. New York: John G. Shea.
Committee for Promoting Canonisation (18 February 2022). "Testimony to Love: The 400th Anniversary of the Genna Great Martyrdom (2022-3)" (PDF). Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 May 2024.
Doak, Kevin (2022). "Nagasaki Martyrs". In Louth, Andrew (ed.). The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (4 ed.). ISBN 978-0-19-964246-5.
De Sousa, Lúcio (21 January 2019). The Portuguese Slave Trade in Early Modern Japan: Merchants, Jesuits and Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Slaves. Brill. pp. 122–124. ISBN 978-90-04-38807-9.
External links
The 26 Martyrs Museum in Nagasaki City, Japan
Catholic Bishops Conference of Japan: Timeline of the Catholic Church in Japan
Daughters of St. Paul Convent, Tokyo, Japan: Prohibition of Christian religion by Hideyoshi and the 26 martyrs
Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Japanese Martyrs". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
The Japanese Martyrs
Nagasaki Wiki: Detailed Access Information from Nagasaki Station to 26 Martyrs Monument
2008 Beatification of Japanese Martyrs
Kirish'tan: Heaven's Samurai, a historical novel that includes the story of the Twenty-six Martyrs