Paul Miki

Paul Miki , died crucifié on February 5th 1597 with his/her Christian companions, with the Japan.

Context

Saint François Xavier had unloaded in August 1549, in Kagoshima, in order to go évangéliser the Japan. With its continuation, many Jesuits and Franciscains had made a success of with propoger Christianity in this country, at the same time as they created schools, parishes, and hospitals.

A few decades after, for at the same time religious and political reasons, the missionaries were hard persecuted of 1597 until in 1637.

See also: Kirishitan

The Shogun Taïcosama at the same time sought to unify the country and to fight against the local religious powers. It was thus caught some to the Christians who represented in his eyes an unbearable foreign influence. The missionaries having been expelled, established Christianity became clandestine. But ten years later, persecution began again and in February 1597, twenty-six Christians will be stopped and massacred.

Martyrs

Among these twenty-six martyrs, crucifiés vis-a-vis the sea, were:
  • Paul Miki , wire of a general, first Japanese Jesuit and large preacher.
  • His/her two companions Jesuits: Jean de Goto and Jacques Kisoï.
  • Six Franciscains:
    • Pierre Baptist, chief of the mission franciscaine in Japan,
    • Martin d' Aguire, professor of theology,
    • François Blanco, priest,
    • Philippe de Las Put,
    • Gonzales Garcia,
    • François de Saint-Michel, all three brother convers.
  • Seventeen laic Franciscains Tertiary sectors, members of the community of Méaco:
    • Like Tachegia,
    • Michel and Thomas Cozaki,
    • Paul Ibarki,
    • Leon Carasumo (catechist and interprets),
    • Mathias,
    • Bonaventure,
    • Joachim Saccakibara (doctor),
    • François de Méaco (doctor),
    • Thomas Dauki (interprets),
    • Jean Kinoia,
    • Gabriel de Duisco,
    • Paul Suzuki (catechist and interprets),
    • François Danto and Pierre Sukejiro
    • Louis (11 years) and
    • Antoine (13 years).

After torturehaving tortured them and walkhaving walked from city downtown, they arrived on a hill close to Nagasaki where they were suspended with a gibet in the shape of cross, top of which they continued to sing psalms and to proclaim the Gospel, until they are transpierced by a lance.

Quotation

Of Paul Miki during his torment: “ Parvenu at the moment when I am, I think that nobody among you will believe that I want to disguise the truth. As I declare you as the only way leading to the hello is that which the Christians follow. And since the Christian faith learns how to me to forgive with my enemies and all those which made me evil, I forgive readily the sovereign and with all the persons in charge of my death, and requests them to agree to be made baptize. ”

Beatification - canonization - festival

  • They all were béatifiés in 1627 by the Pope Urbain VIII
  • And were canonized on June 8th 1862 by the Pope Pie IX.
  • Their festival was fixed at the February 6th.

Veneration

  • a monument was set up with the memory of Paul Miki and his companions with Nagasaki.
  • In France two places are dedicated to the Japanese saints:
    • with Paris, the seat of the Jesuits,
    • with Cambric, the vault of the Jesuits.

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