Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions Gospel: Mark 6:14–29 Saint Paul Miki and Companions: Defenders of the Christian Faith
Today the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Paul Miki and his companions.
The Roman Martyrology tells us: Saint Paul Miki and his companions were a group of Catholics executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597, in Nagasaki, Japan—a pivotal chapter in the history of Catholicism in Japan.
When Catholicism was first introduced to Japan, it flourished, with an estimated 300,000 faithful by the late 16th century. However, challenges arose from rivalry among missionary orders, geopolitical tensions between Portugal and Spain, and shifts in Japanese politics. Initially, the shogunate and imperial court supported the mission, hoping to curb the influence of Buddhist monastic orders and boost trade with Europe. By the late 1500s, however, fears of foreign encroachment grew. In 1587, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, citing the threat of “foreign powers to the state” and “Christianity’s hostility toward Buddhism,” ordered the expulsion of Christians. Following the 1596 San Felipe Incident, Hideyoshi arrested 26 Catholics in January 1597: five Spanish Franciscans, one Portuguese Franciscan from India, three Japanese Jesuits, and 17 Japanese lay members of the Third Order of St. Francis (including three altar boys). They endured torture, mutilation, and public processions before being crucified and pierced with lances on a hill overlooking Nagasaki on February 5, 1597.
Persecution continued sporadically until 1614, culminating in the Great Genna Martyrdom of 1622, when 55 Catholics were killed in Nagasaki. By 1630, Catholicism went underground, surviving secretly for 250 years until missionaries rediscovered a community of “hidden Catholics” in the 19th century.
They were beatified by Pope Urban VIII on September 14, 1627,and canonized by Pope Pius IX on June 8, 1862. They are symbols of unwavering faith in East Asia.
The Gospel of St. Mark chosen for today recounts the martyrdom of John the Baptist. We know John the Baptist was the precursor of Jesus Christ, preparing a people of goodwill for Him. St. Mark tells us: John was arrested for denouncing Herod for marrying Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. At a banquet Herod hosted, Herodias’ daughter pleased him with her dancing, and she seized the opportunity to ask for John’s head. From this narrative, we see many parallels between John the Baptist and Saint Paul Miki and his companions. Together, they set an example for us.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Let us imitate John the Baptist, Saint Paul Miki, and his companions. First, seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rely on His aid, mortify the stirrings of the flesh, and live in all the graces God bestows upon us—no longer negatively affected in our faith by the ruler of this world and its messengers.
Prayer O God, strength of all the Saints, who through the Cross were pleased to call the Martyrs Saint Paul Miki and companions to life, grant, we pray, that by their intercession we may hold with courage even until death to the faith that we profess. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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