Paul Miki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintPaul Miki SJ |
|
|---|---|
Statue of Miki, bearing stylised depictions of the instruments of his death, in St Martin's Church in Bamberg, Germany.
|
|
| Jesuit and Martyr | |
| Born | c. 1562 Settsu County, Japan |
| Died | 5 February 1597 (aged 34–35) Nagasaki, Japan |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 14 September 1627 by Pope Urban VIII |
| Canonized | 8 June 1862 by Pope Pius IX |
| Feast | 6 February |
| Attributes | palm, cross, spear |
| Patronage | Japan |
Paul Miki (Japanese: パウロ三木 (Pauro Miki); around 1562 – February 5, 1597) was a brave Japanese Catholic. He was a member of the Jesuits, a group of Catholic priests. Paul Miki is famous as one of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan. A martyr is someone who dies because of their religious beliefs.
The Story of Paul Miki
.png)
Early Life and Calling
Paul Miki was born into a rich family in Japan. He went to school with the Jesuits in places like Azuchi and Takatsuki. The Jesuits are a religious order in the Catholic Church.
After his studies, Paul Miki decided to join the Society of Jesus. This is another name for the Jesuits. He became a very good speaker and preacher. Many people listened to him and became Catholics.
Facing Danger
At that time, the ruler of Japan was Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He started to worry about the growing number of Catholics. He was also concerned about the influence of the Jesuits and visitors from Europe. Because of these worries, he began to treat Catholics unfairly. This is called persecution.
Paul Miki was arrested and put in jail. Many other Catholics were arrested with him. They were forced to walk a very long distance. The journey was about 966 kilometers (600 miles) from Kyoto to Nagasaki. Even during this difficult march, they sang a special Christian song called the Te Deum.
His Final Message
When they finally arrived in Nagasaki, Paul Miki and his friends faced a sad end. On February 5, 1597, Paul Miki was tied to a cross. His chest was pierced with a spear.
Even from the cross, he gave one last speech. People say he forgave those who were hurting him. Two other Jesuits, Joan Soan and Santiago Kisai, were also crucified with him. Along with them, twenty-three other religious people and regular citizens died that day. All of them are now known as saints. They were made saints by Pope Pius IX in 1862.
Today, Nagasaki has the largest Catholic population in Japan.
See also
- Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan
