THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR IN JAPAN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 42, 18 October 1900, Page 30

THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR IN JAPAN.

The Rev. F.ithor Rheahan. writing in the New York Su?i, Bays The first martyr w >"> >-h«-d hi 5 " blood for Christ m Japan w«h one of the m.ich-vilifiod l''i'ipino fr'iiri. and al-o a native of North America. Tho^e wi>n h w vi i'f>d Mexico !;iti ly haie douhtl''s« soon the beautiful Chtir-;') o r ' P nl p. built i-i h's honor, winch vvis openpd on February ~> l s '*7 tiM third cc-iitpnnry of his mariyrdMin All the p'.ests of the I'mTi'd on February "> iv t v ii» M,i-s and tbe rlivine o'hi'e ot .~-r. i'nuip »>t .If'^us, as ne ii j eh tn, A snuri sketch of his life in «^ivcn in the Roman Hrcviniy an«l a more extended account in the Mt*irnin-r or t'n ><utiil ii<nrt tor Auirn-ir. Oa tht^ baptismal font in the C.thodral of tliu City of Mexico is the following insTipti m 'In this font was baptiz a d the Japanese martyr, St. Philip of J^Mis, a native ot this City of Mexico, and its patron.' Felipe hu Ca^as was born in 1T.72. His oi'.rly life was not edifying". Many were the tears and pr.ners of his moi l ier ior his conversion. Hoping that he would do bettor it h^ w< re remov d from his evil companions, his father sent him to M'ltul lt wheic he had large commerci d interests, but his life in the Philippines w as no better than it had been in Mexico. Tie (quaiid'Ted >is fortune, almost ruined his health, and found himself in a^ di -periite utraiN as waa the prodigal <•{ the Gospel. Then like another Augustine he gave up his wicked life, turned to God and resolve \ to "erve Him with hia whole heart and soul for the rest of his life , and he Old. He became a Franciscan friar, entering their convent in the city of Manila, and by word and example heencoura^td all he oime m contact with to be true followers of Jesus Christ.

After an absence of several years, he left Cavite to visit Mexico to see his parents, but the sailing vessel had to stop at the Japanese port of Urando for repairs. The arrival of himself and some fellow friars was interpreted as an attempt of the missionaries to prepare J ipan for, future subjugation by Spain. It served the Emperor Taicosama with a pretext for ordering the execution of the Franciscan friars at O^ica and Meaoo. The tips of the ears of the missionaries were cut off and they were started on their journey, bitting a month, to the place of execution. When they reached the hill wnere they were to die and saw the 2G eros c-» prepare! for t ..vn'i. mid la^ i. AuuuLuiiorn wilii LLeii BpettCo ami iiua Ixmd-*, auj the crowds of Japanese waiting for the execution, the martyrs j.itwj)i-,lieJ Lhe pdgciii* by a tremendous rthowl of joy. Philip could be heard above the rest, as he stretched out hig hivni toward the crois on which he was to die, and cried : ' Hail ! precious cross, on which the Redeemer of the world died for me ; () blessed seafaring, O fortunate vessel, whose shipwreck has bnen for ma the cause of such great gain " One of the iron bands with which Philip was fastened to his cross became displaced, caught him about the neck, and he wan slowly strangled, murmuring all the while as well as he could ' Jesus, Jesus.' One of the executioners put an end to his sufferings by driving a speir through his body, thus giving him the martyr's crown ahead of his 2"> companions. About a quarter of a century before the Mayflower sailed and about, two centuries before the colonies threw off the British yoke the Ne.v World gava the Old a Christian martyr.