In 1549 the Jesuit missionary, Francis Xavier, founded the church in Japan. The Jesuits were soon followed by the Franciscans. For forty years Christianity spread and flourished. Then in 1588 the Japanese ruler Hideyoshi, fearful of the changes introduced by Christianity and apprehensive of western intentions of conquest, began a severe persecution aimed at wiping out the Christian faith completely. The persecution included the families of the principal victims in accordance with Japanese custom. This persecution lasted nearly fifty years, and during that period thousands laid down their lives.
The first of these martyrs were twenty-six in number. Of these, one was Japanese Jesuit priest and outstanding preacher Paul Miki, two were Jesuit lay-brothers, and six were Franciscans (four of whom were Spanish, one from Mexico City and one from Bombay). The other seventeen were all laity (one a Korean and sixteen Japanese)... Read more...
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