Shine Sotelo

Shine Sotelo (Seville, September 6th 1574 - 1624), was a Spanish brother franciscain sent like missionary to the Filipino and the Japan, which died in Martyr in this last country in 1624, and was béatifié by the pope Pie IX in 1867.

Life

Sotelo studies with the Université of Salamanque before entering to the convent of “ Calvario of los Hermanos Menores ”. It is sent to the Filipino in 1600, with an aim of measuring the spiritual needs for the Japanese colony of Dilao, until this one either destroyed by the Spanish forces in 1608 after intense combat.

Sotelo goes then to Japan where it tries to establish a church in the surroundings of Edo. The church is destroyed under the terms of the prohibition of the Christianisme on the grounds of the shogun Tokugawa, and Sotelo is stopped and condemned to death, before being slackened on the insistence of Masamune Date, Daimyō of Sendai where settles Sotelo, Date tolerating and even encouraging Christianity on its grounds. Masamune is not Christian, but it acts so that its stronghold of Sendai becomes the competitor of the port of Nagasaki, required passage of the trade with the Nouveau World. Located on the Peaceful coast, Sendai could directly connect the Japan to the News-Spain, without having to pass by Manila.

Sotelo, resulting from a line of Spanish diplomats, hopes to obtain, with the favor these exchanges, the freedom of evangelization and worship in the area. In 1614, it accompanies the Japanese embassy sent by Masamune Date towards Europe. The embassy is led by Tsunenaga Hasekura, and crosses the Pacific on board galleon of Japanese construction San Juan Bautista. After a stage with the Mexico, forwarding reaches Spain. It makes then baptize the Japanese with Madrid, before accompanying them to meet the pope Paul V with Rome.

Sotelo accompanies back then the embassy until the Filipino in 1618, and remains some time there, because Christianity became very heavily repressed in Japan. The catholic Council of the Indies returns it in News-Spain in 1620 to continue there his activities of missionary.

Sotelo is arranged finally to turn over - disguised as a merchant with the Japan in 1622 on board a Chinese Jonque , but is discovered and imprisoned. After two years of prison, Luis Sotelo is burned alive in company of two franciscains, a Jesuit and a Dominican , at the 50 years age.

References

“The Christian century in Japan 1549-1650” C.R. Boxer ISBN 1857540352

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