The Brutal Execution of the 26 Martyrs of Japan

Nagasaki will forever be associated with the destruction of the Atomic Bomb during the final stages of World War II. In Japan, however, the port city is synonymous with Catholicism and was once known as the “little Rome of the east” by traders. On February 5, 1597, upon the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Japanese Shogunate, 26 Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries were executed on Nishizaka Hill after a tragic misunderstanding involving the San Felipe, a Spanish Galleon that ran aground, and Japan’s Imperial Court. The executions were witnessed by thousands of bewildered citizens and sent shockwaves across the world. Hideyoshi purposely wanted the martyrdoms to be a public spectacle to serve as a deterrent towards the Japanese populace as a warning. But it did the exact opposite and inspired many others to commit to their faith… This is the story… #catholicchurch #catholicfaith #faith #history #japan #japanesemartyrs #nagasaki #jesus #martyrs #holy