ASIA/JAPAN - The Church in Japan prays and awaits decree for the Beatification of 188 Japanese Christian martyrs

Wednesday, 18 April 2007

Tokyo (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholics of Japan are awaiting joyful news: Holy See approval for the beatification of 188 Japanese martyrs. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome has completed its work of investigation. Now all that is needed is for Pope Benedict XVI to issue the official Decree. The process for the Beatification opened in 1996, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the Nagasaki massacre.
This beatification cause presented by the Bishops of Japan is important for the whole Catholic community because many of the 188 martyrs were lay men, women and some even children. Only four were priests, one of whom was Jesuit Father Peter Kassui Kibe. These Catholics died defending their right to profess the Christian faith, opposing their persecutors with non violence. They died, the Bishops affirm, to defend the most basic of human rights, right of conscience, right to profess a belief. Their martyrdom is a lesson for humanity of the third millennium.
The Bishops’ Conference has established a preparatory commission to plan and programme initiatives for the event, while the people pray confidently and excitedly. The beatification of 188 Japanese Christian martyrs of the 17th century and their example will be a great encouragement for Japanese Catholics who are a small minority in a population of 127 million (450,000 Japanese born and 550,000 immigrant Catholics). The Church in Japan already has its own Saints Paul Miki and companions, celebrated on February 6th by the Church all over the world. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/4/2007 righe 26 parole 260)


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