12. Missionaries Sent From Manilla, Martyrdom Of The Last Dominicans In Japan
THE General Chapter of the Friars Preachers assembled at Toulouse during the year 1628 took into consideration the afflicted state of the Japanese Church, and ordained that the largest possible number of missionaries should be sent to its assistance. Directly the intelligence of this order reached the Priory of Manilla, all the fathers were anxious to depart immediately.
But obedience obliged many to remain, while certain favoured ones were chosen. Father Thomas of S. Hyacinth started forthwith, and arrived safely in Japan the year following. Father John of the Angels, was not so successful, being beheaded on his way by the inhabitants of the island of Loo-Choo. He had spent twentyfour years in Japan on a former occasion, having arrived there in 1607, and was therefore well versed in its difficult language, into which he had translated several religious works. His extreme devotion to the Holy Rosary, and the unction and energy with which he recommended it in his sermons, won for him the name, among the Japanese, of the Father of the Rosary. Many details of the marvellous graces given by means of the Rosary are mentioned by Advarte in his account of this father's labours. One old man, in a village of the kingdom of Arima, who had not been to confession for thirty years, and whom many missionaries had tried to convert, was brought to his duties almost immediately after Father John had enrolled him in the confraternity. In the year following (1630) Father Hyacinth Esquivel, accompanied by a Franciscan missionary, endeavoured to reach Japan, but the precautions taken at every port made it almost as difficult to effect a landing as to escape detection when actually labouring in the empire. These two fathers were seized just before disembarking at Nagasaki, and were both beheaded.
Meanwhile the fury of the persecution was unabated, and in 1628 three more members of the Third Order of S. Dominic were beheaded for the faith at Nagasaki. Particular mention is made of these, because the circumstances of their martyrdom were carefully examined by the testimony of eyewitnesses, and they are amongst those beatified by Pius the Ninth. Their names were Michael, Paul, and Dominic, and they were selected for death on account of their generous zeal in assisting the Fathers of S. Dominic. Three hundred martyrs are known to have suffered between the beginning of 1629 and the end of 1632, but these are doubtless only few compared to the multitude whose names are forgotten on earth.
Father Dominic Erquicia, who had entered Japan after a long voyage of extreme difficulty and danger, with Father Lewis Bertrand in 1623, was, for the nine years he spent on the mission, in high repute for virtue and learning among heathens as well as Christians. The fruit of his self-denying labours was abundant in various parts of the Empire, and after suffering much in prison he was martyred with prolonged and terrible torture in the year 1633. A native brother who acted as his catechist, and had adopted the name of Francis, was the companion of his sufferings and his crown.
This martyrdom was soon followed by that of Father James of S. Mary, a native priest. He was the son of Christian parents in the kingdom of Omura, and received his education in the Jesuit college. For some time he preached among his countrymen, and gained many children for the Church, being a favourite of the higher classes, and even of the government officials, on account of his mental abilities and high culture. Finding, however, that his power for good was diminished by his being only a layman, he went to Manilla, with the intention of becoming a religious. He desired to enter the Order of S. Augustine, but difficulties arising, he dwelt for some time as a hermit on a mountain near the city. Hearing that native subjects were wanted by the Friars Preachers, he applied to Father Melchior Mencano, the Prior of Manilla, and was clothed in S. Dominic's habit on the feast of the Assumption, 1624. In the noviciate he displayed many religious virtues in a high degree, particu* larly extreme meekness under reproof, and therefore made his profession in due time, and received Holy Orders on August 15, 1626. After his arrival in his native country he remained hidden for some time in Nagasaki, administering the Sacraments among the afflicted Christians, and in 1633 receivied the crown of martyrdom, after acute sufferings, endured with invincible courage. His catechist, Michael, shared his glory.
Father Luke of the Holy Ghost, the companion of Father Lewis Bertrand, had escaped detection for nearly ten years, although the search made for missionaries never relaxed in vigilance. At one time he took refuge in the mountains, when for forty days he managed to maintain himself on some species of wild plant, while at another he travelled over great regions of country, evangelizing the people. Advarte gives a catalogue of the places he visited. He even penetrated into Makao, and was captured at last in company with a Jesuit Father named Anthony de Sousa. He was tortured in a most revolting way before his death, which, with two or three Brothers of the Third Order, he endured willingly for the love of Christ.
Unhappily space forbids more than a rapid mention of these different heroes of the faith, as illustrious during their lives as they were invincible amidst the torments of their last triumphs. Many interesting details are given about each in Advarte's long history of the Philippine Province. Father Jordan of S. Stephen, who arrived at Nagasaki during the year 1632, was a Sicilian, who had been attracted to the Eastern missions by the fame of the martyrs of Japan. After being clothed with the habit of S. Dominic in his native country, and studying in different Priories in Spain, he laboured for some time in the Philippine Islands amongst the Chinese, whose language he had completely mastered. He was a very learned theologian, and wrote several works of considerable merit, so that he is adorned in heaven with the three special aureolas of virgin, doctor and martyr. He arrived at Nagasaki in the disguise of a Chjnaman after the evening had begun to close in, and having no guide, he was wandering about the streets trusting to God's providence, when he saw Father Dominic Erquicia standing at the door of a house. In spite of their disguise they recognized each other, and were soon locked in the tender embrace of brothers unexpectedly meeting in a strange land. Father Jordan assisted Father Dominic until his martyrdom, and then continued his labours, until his career as a missionary was cut short by his own capture, with Father Thomas of S. Hyacinth, during the course of the next year. Father Thomas was a Japanese, who had been professed and ordained in the Priory at Manilla, and had already laboured as a missionary in the island of Formosa, and for nine years in his own country. Marina of Omura, a menber of the Third Order, was arrested wifh the two priests. Another Tertiary, Magdalen of Nagasaki, deserves special notice, as it appears that God inspffed her to deliver herself up to martyrdom. Hearing of Father Jordan's imprisonment, she boldly presented herself before the guards, demanding admission in order to be professed in the Third Order, in which she was only a novice. The cruel Japanese soldiers were touched with compassion and admiration at her courage, and tried to persuade her to retire, and not to force them to arrest her as a Christian. " I am a Christian," she exclaimed, " and, what is more, a Religious, the spiritual daughter of Father Jordan, and it is your duty to apprehend me," Her desire was gratified, and all these four martyrs expired by inches, after a series of torments, suggested by the ingenious cruelty of their persecutors.
After the numerous martyrdoms of 1633 the Church in Japan presented a deplorable aspect. Glorious as the persecution had doubtless been, and numberless as were the white-robed martyrs with which it had peopled Heaven, still these were times in which the fervent alone could be Christians. Many therefore, unable to resist the trial, denied their faith, and thus purchased safety. Finding themselves again orphans, bereaved prematurely of those fathers sent to their assistance, the poor Christians once more raised a cry of distress, which was answered by the Friars Preachers of Manilla. Four of their number determined, under the sanction of obedience, to brave every danger, and to venture into the forbidden regions of Japan. These were Fathers Anthony Gonzales, Michael Ozarata, William Courtet, and Vincent of the Cross.
Father Anthony Gonzales was a man of remarkable holiness of life, endowed with all the qualities that form the perfect religious, and particularly excelling in that which includes and implies all the rest, the gift of continual prayer. Devoted as he was to the active life of the apostolate, like a true Dominican, he never suffered its harassing cares to interrupt his union with God and constant familiar conversation with Him. A native of Spain, where he made his profession, he left his own country for Manilla out of love for souls. He was first employed as regent of studies, for he was remarkable no less as a theologian than as a holy religious.
Father Michael Ozarata was also a Spaniard, and was professed in the Priory of S. Thomas in Madrid, where for some years he remained in the peaceful happiness of a strict convent. At this time many seculars were leaving their homes, and bidding farewell to their friends, to make their fortunes in the colonies dependent on the Spanish crown. Father Michael, considering this, determined to undertake, for an incorruptible crown, what so many of his countrymen were doing for a perishable reward, and, bidding adieu to his brethren and the beloved seclusion of his convent, he started to Manilla, where he remained till despatched to Japan. Out of devotion to the Mother of God he had taken the name of Michael of the Rosary.
Father William Courtet was a Frenchman, and Advarte speaks in the highest terms of his eminent holiness. The French Province had just been reformed and restored to primitive fervour and regularity, when Father William, as a youth, became a member of the Toulouse Province, and made his profession on the feast of the Assumption in the year 1608. During his long course of theological study, he was a model of religious virtue, and was afterwards Master of Novices and Professor of Theology in the Priory of Toulouse. A difficult and delicate office was then assigned him. A religious was wanted in the ancient Priory of Avignon, to restore strict discipline within its walls. Father Courtet combined all those rare qualities necessary for a successful reformer, and was sent to Avignon as Prior and Lector. The fervour of the new Prior, tempered with prudent charity, soon established and confirmed that strict observance of which he gave a model in his own practice. But while thus serving the Order at Avignon, an old desire awoke within his breast. He had been first attracted to the Friars Preachers in his early years by hearing of the virtues and heroic courage of their martyred brethren in Japan. And now he sought and obtained permission from Nicholas Ridolphi, the Master General, to follow in their footsteps. To the regret of the French Province he therefore travelled to Madrid, walking all the way on foot, in great poverty, and taking every opportunity of benefiting souls during his journey. During the time he remained at Madrid, he was highly esteemed for his love of observance, and reaching the Philippine Islands, he was detained for some time at Manilla as professor of theology, where he effected much good by his learning, and the example of his holy life. Besides attending with the utmost regularity, during the two hours devoted in that Priory to meditation in community, he spent much extra time in prayer, and the frequency of his conversation with God was proved by the strictness with which he observed the silence prescribed by the rule. During the last years of his life he never used a bed, and his nights were chiefly spent in prayer. Whilst at Manilla he declined to take the usual precautions to protect himself against the mosquitos, which swarm there, offering to God the acute suffering they occasioned him as a mortification for his sins. Not content with this penance, he wore round his waist an iron girdle with fifteen circles of points so sharp as often to fetch blood, and this he bore in honour of the fifteen Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. His discipline was most severe, and every day he scourged himself in a spirit of deep repentance. So rigorous was the abstinence he habitually practised, that besides the ordinary fasts of the Order his food for three days in the week was simple bread and water. His love of silence and prayer, united with the modesty of his demeanour, won the esteem of his brethren, who looked upon him as a saint. As an instance of his humility it is related that one day, in a theological disputation in the students' classes, some unguarded words escaped him in the heat of the discussion, and at the end of the class he prostrated himself before his brother-lector, begging pardon for what he had said. Severely as he treated himself, his gentleness and sympathy for sinners was equally remarkable. Every one who sought his aid, departed consoled.
Father Vincent of the Cross was a Japanese, born of Christian parents, who offered him to God before his birth. He received his education in the Jesuit college in Nagasaki, and when the persecution broke up the college, he went to Manilla, where he dwelt for some time, and returning to preach to his countrymen, was ordained priest, and afterwards admitted into the Order of S. Dominic, about a year before his martyrdom.
These missionaries, accompanied by two seculars, reached the island of Loo-Choo in July, 1636, and not being able to proceed, they laboured for some time in that and neighbouring islands. . It appears that they were never able to penetrate into the Empire itself, but were recognised and conducted to Nagasaki, bound as captives, on September 13, 1637. Before the tribunal of the judge they boldly confessed that they were priests, and religious of the Order of S. Dominic, and that, although they were well aware of the emperor's edicts, they had entered Japan in order to preach the true faith and console the afflicted Christians. Finding they could not be shaken by threats, the judges determined to employ torture, and in this they discovered a truly diabolical ingenuity. Several different times an almost incredible amount of water was poured down their throats, and then forced through the mouth and nose by means of extreme pressure. Father Anthony Gonzales hardly survived the infliction of this torment, and being carried back to prison, he shortly after bid a tender farewell to his companions, and gave up his soul to God on September 24, 1637. The heathens vented their malice on his senseless corpse, which they burnt, afterwards casting the ashes into the sea.
Father Vincent of the Cross was for a moment overcome by the intensity of his sufferings, and consented to abjure his faith. No sooner, however, had the shameful words of apostasy crossed his lips than he felt a bitter remorse, and yielding to the earnest exhortations of his companions, he again boldly confessed the sacred Name of Jesus Christ
They were next tortured with long sharp awls that were thrust under the nails even to the first joint of the fingers, but this excruciating agony wrung from them no words unworthy of a Christian; they only exclaimed, "How sweet it is to suffer ! Queen of the Holy Rosary, pray for us." The executioners in astonishment rattled the handles of the awls together, and the martyrs replied, " How sweet a music is this for heaven ! " When the blood dropped upon the ground, one of the martyrs in a transport of love cried out : "Behold those beautiful roses! I have dyed them, sweet Jesus, for Thy love in my blood; but what are these few drops compared to the torrent of blood Thou didst shed for my sake ? " They were then obliged to scratch the ground with the protruding handles of the awls, but no torment could shake their constancy.
At this dreadful spectacle the bystanders wept with compassion, and the executioners themselves, moved by such an exhibition of heroic generosity, complained of the folly that could induce men so noble-hearted and courageous to cpme into Japan merely to undergo a death of protracted suflFering. " We came not hither," replied Father Courtet, "for the sole object of being tortured to death ; but we came to preach the true religion, and to convince men of the folly of idol worship."
After the torture had lasted a considerable time, nature became completely exhausted, and the martyrs fell back with their eyes closed, apparently almost lifeless. This was seized upon as a successful moment to tempt them to apostatise, but the question was no sooner put than life and vigour seemed to return, for the martyrs cried out aloud : " We are deaf to all such proposals we have not come to Japan to be guilty of such weakness." Seeing that nothing could shake their constancy, the soldiers carried them back to prison on litters.
A day or two later, the moment of their last triumph arrived. After being paraded round the streets of Nagasaki, the martyrs were conducted to that famous hill on which so many Christian warriors had already won the crown of victory. Here five pits had been prepared, and over each a martyr was suspended with his head downwards. Their feet were tightly bound to a horizontal beam, and half their bodies were in the pit, which was then covered with boards so arranged that they pressed the victim down, and so increased the intensity of his suffering. This agony, declared by the executioners to be intolerable, continued for two days and nights, but God supported His servants, and their courage was not exhausted. The only sounds heard issuing from those pits of torture were earnest prayers, or the voice of one sufferer exhorting his companions to perseverance On the morning of the third day, the pits being uncovered, the two seculars were found dead, but in the three religious some sparks of life still faintly lingered. The command was to behead those who might be discovered alive, and this sentence was carried out on Father Vincent of the Cross, as he lay prostrate, totally unable to kneel. Father Michael Ozarata and Father William Courtet had sufficient strength to embrace each other tenderly. "We have much to talk over," said they, "but we will leave all till we meet in heaven." Side by side then knelt these two brothers; the executioner's sword descended as the Names of Jesus and Mary were on their lips. These are called by Father Alexander de Rhodes, of the Society of Jesus, "the greatest martyrs of Japan," and it is indeed astonishing to reflect on the length and intensity of their sufferings and the cheerful fortitude they displayed.
Although these martyrs are not included in the list of the beatified, which extends only to the year 1632, whereas they suffered on September 27, 1636, it is a fitting termination to the long series of heroic conflicts by which the Friars Preachers distinguished themselves in Japan. It is the last Dominican martyrdom of which any account remains, though no doubt many Tertiaries and Rosarians continued to be chosen as victims for the sacrifice as long as the persecution lasted.