September 28
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions
Layman, Martyr
(1594 – 1634)
“I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God; had I a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer.”
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz
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or on the Book Cover Image above to buy it!
Click here for the Amazon page or on the Book Cover Image above to buy it!
Saint’s Life Story
His Early Life
Lorenzo Ruiz was a Filipino born in Binondo, Manila, Philippines on November 28, 1594, to a Chinese father and a Tagalog mother who were both Catholic. His birth and early life was during the early years of Spanish colonization in the Philippines.
So, Lorenzo learned Chinese and Tagalog from his parents, and Spanish from the Dominicans whom he served as altar boy and sacristan at the Binondo Church. Lorenzo was raised in the Catholic faith, which became the cornerstone of his identity.
Calligrapher
After being educated by the Dominican friars for a few years, Lorenzo earned the title of escribano (scrivener) because of his skillful penmanship. So, Lorenzo worked as a calligrapher and notary for the Dominican convent, using his literacy skills to serve the Church and his community.
Married Father of Three
As a devoted and active Catholic, Lorenzo became a member of the Cofradía del Santísimo Rosario (Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary) and .
He married Rosario, a native Filipino, and they had two sons and a daughter. The Ruiz family led a peaceful religious life.
Falsely Accused and Fled to Japan
In 1636, while working as a clerk for the Church, Lorenzo was falsely accused of murder of a Spanish official and forced to leave his country. At that time, three Dominican priests, Father Antonio Gonzalez, Father Guillermo Courtet, and Father Miguel de Aozaraza, were about to sail to Japan in spite of a violent persecution there. These Dominican fathers who knew Lorenzo arranged to take him on their ship to Japan. So, Lorenzo sought asylum on board a ship with three Dominican priests as well as a Japanese priest, Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz; and a lay leper Lázaro of Kyoto. But only when they were at sea did he learn that they were going to Japan. Then, with the aid of the Dominican priests, Lorenzo sailed for Okinawa, Japan on June 10, 1636.
Tortured
The Tokugawa Shogunate was persecuting Christians by the time Lorenzo had arrived in Japan. They feared that the Spanish invaded the Philippines using religion and their country would be next. Within months after arriving in Japan, Lorenzo and his companions were betrayed and arrested for being Catholic. Then, they were brought to Nagasaki, where he and his companions were interrogated and tortured. He was promised a safe journey back to his family if he renounced his faith, but he refused.
They were subjected to an unspeakable kind of torture. After huge quantities of water were forced down their throats, they were made to lie down. Long boards were placed on their stomachs and guards then stepped on the ends of the boards, forcing the water to spurt violently from mouth, nose and ears.
The torture Lorenzo endured included being hung upside down over a pit filled with excrement and corpses – the “tsurushi” method designed for maximum suffering. Throughout days of brutal torment, witnesses reported he continued praying and encouraging fellow prisoners.
The superior, Father Gonzalez, died after some days. Both Father Shiwozuka and Lazaro broke under torture, which included the insertion of bamboo needles under their fingernails. But both were brought back to courage by their companions.
His Death
In Lorenzo’s moment of crisis, he asked the interpreter, “I would like to know if, by apostatizing, they will spare my life.” The interpreter was noncommittal, but in the ensuing hours Lorenzo felt his faith grow strong. He became bold, even audacious, with his interrogators.
On September 27, 1637, Lorenzo and his companions were taken to Nishizaka Hill, where they were tortured by being hung upside-down over a pit and bled. He died two days later on September 29, 1637, aged 42, in Nagaski, Japan.
Despite his suffering, Lorenzo refused to renounce Christianity and died from eventual blood loss and suffocation. His last words were:
Latin: Ego Catholicus sum et animo prompto paratoque pro Deo mortem obibo. Si mille vitas haberem, cunctas ei offerrem.
(English: “I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God; had I a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer.”)
In 1981, in the first-ever beatification outside of the Vatican, Pope Saint John Paul II addressed the crowd gathered at Luneta Park in Manila, Philippines, with these words: “This is what Lorenzo Ruiz did. Guided by the Holy Spirit to an unexpected goal after an adventurous journey, he told the court that he was a Christian, and must die for God, and would give his life for him a thousand times.”
Born: November 28, 1594 in Binondo, Manila, Philippines
Died: September 29, 1637 in Nagaski, Japan
Beatified: February 18, 1981 by Pope John Paul II
Canonized: October 18, 1987 by Pope John Paul II
Feast Day: September 28
Patron Saint: Alter Servers; Archdiocese of Manila, Philippines; Falsely Accused People; Filipino People; Migrant Workers; The Philippines
Source:
Reflection
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and His Companions remind us of the courage that comes from placing our trust completely in God. Saint Lorenzo was a Filipino layman and devoted father who was falsely accused of murder. So, he left with three Dominican priests to Okinawa, Japan. So, he found himself far from home and facing persecution for his Christian faith. Along with his companions, he remained faithful to Christ despite suffering and the threat of death. Their witness shows that faith is not simply something we profess when life is easy, but something we are called to live even in difficult circumstances.
The courage of Saint Lorenzo and his companions challenges us to consider how firmly we stand in our own faith. We may never face the persecution they endured, but we encounter daily opportunities to demonstrate our beliefs through our choices to stand up for what is right. We can do this through our words and actions. Their example encourages us not to allow fear or uncertainty to weaken our relationship with God.
When my faith is challenged or difficult choices arise, do I have the courage to remain faithful to Christ?
Prayers
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions,
Through your intercession, strengthen my faith and give me courage when I face difficulties.
Help me to remain faithful to You when I am afraid, uncertain, or pressured by others.
May their example inspire me to live my faith boldly and to serve others with love, trusting in God’s presence each day.
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, pray for us! Amen.
Saint Links
AnaStpaul – Saint of the Day – 28 September – St Lorenzo Ruiz (1600-1637) First Saint and Protomartyr of the Philippines
Catholic Online – St. Lorenzo Ruiz
Grokipedia – Lorenzo Ruiz: The Saint… A Filipino
Melanie Rigney – Lorenzo Ruiz
Saint Discovery Quiz – St. Lorenzo Ruiz
Saint for a Minute – Saint Lorenzo
The Catholic Crusade – St. Lorenzo Ruiz: The First Filipino Saint and Martyr
Vatican – Holy Mass for the Beatification of Lorenzo Ruiz- Homily of the Holy Father Pope Saint John Paul II
Video Link
Most Inspirational Story of ST. LORENZO RUIZ || Patron Saint of Separated Families and Philippines – YouTube (JOY OF HEAVEN)