Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tokyo (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic community in Japan is waiting expectantly for the beatification of 188 Martyrs on 24 November. The Mass for the beatification will be presided by the Pope's representative Cardinal Josè Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The beatification will be the first to be held in Japan.
The secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan, Fr Manyo Maeda, read a message from the Archbishop Takeo Okada of Tokyo, who is president of the Conference: “I hope we will keep in our hearts the authentic significance of the treasure of the faith handed on to by our predecessors”.
Mgr Mitsuaki Takami, President of the beatification organisation committee thanked the many people who have worked hard to prepare the event which an estimated 20,000 Catholics is expected to attend. The Bishops said the example of the martyrs is very precious today when religious freedom is often threatened and the family is under attack. The martyrs died defending their faith and their right to believe in Christ, opposing their persecutors with non-violence. “They were not human rights activists or political militants protesting against the regime. They were ordinary men and women of profound and genuine faith who gave their lives for their faith. They give us food for thought”, the Japanese Bishops said.
Of the 188 martyrs killed in the 17th century, 183 were lay men and women, five were priests including Jesuit Fr Petro Kibe. The cause for their beatification started in the 1980s closed on 1 June 2007 with the approval of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the signature of Pope Benedict XVI.
Japanese Catholics hope the example of these Catholic martyrs will be an encouragement for all Christians in the land of the Rising Sun, which has a population of 127 million, and Catholics are a small minority of 450,000 local Catholics and 550,000 Catholic immigrant workers. Japan already has Saint Paul Miki and companion martyrs, Grazia Hosawaka, Ludovico Ibaragi, Michael Kozaki and Takayam Ukon. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 9/10/2007 righe 29 parole 292)
