On November 24 the beatification of 188 17th century Japanese martyrs took place in Nagasaki in a solemn, public ceremony attended by over 30,000 people. The martyrs represented those Christians who, between 1603 and 1639, shed their blood for Christ and laid deep foundations for the Japanese Christian community.
An engraving of the martyrdom of Nikolao Keian, one of those being beatified in Monday’s ceremony, from Societas Iesu usque ad Sanguinis et Vitae Profusionem Militans (The Martyrs of The Society of Jesus), Matthia Tanner SJ, Prague, 1675.
"They had a name – wrote Japanese Bishops – a family, house and work. Some of them were nobles and powerful. While many belonged to the respectful samurai class others were simple people or farmers. Several were still children or youth. People loved them". Among these martyrs were four esuits, Nicholas Keian Fukunaga (1569-1633), Julian Nakaura (1568-1633), Diogo Ryosetsu Yuki (1574-1636) and Pedro Kasui Kibe (1587-1639). A short profile of these Jesuits was published in the 2009 Jesuit Yearbook. Archbishop Joseph Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki, noted that "the event could be the starting point from which to begin again our evangelization and maybe renew our conscience as Christians. The martyrs sent us a strong message: faith, our attitude towards others, peace, religious freedom." Bishop Osamu Mizobe, President of the Japanese Bishops’ Commission for the beatification of the martyrs, said: "This beatification is the result of the work of three Jesuits who are no longer living: Fathers Diego Pacheco (who wanted to call himself Yuki like one of the martyrs), Hubert Cieslik and Taddeus Oblak". Then he added: "These martyrs send us a lesson: to live and to die with faith and character; therefore, they send a message both to modern Japanese society and to our Catholic Church. This could be the occasion for a spiritual renewal of Japanese Church." (Source: SJ Electronic Information Service, December 5, 2008)
