Blessed John Fernandez
Blessed John Fernandez (born c. 1575 AD in Beja, Alentejo, Portugal; died September 28, 1620 AD in Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan) was a Portuguese Catholic Jesuit lay brother who was martyred at Omura, Japan, during the Tokugawa persecution. He is venerated among the 205 Martyrs of Japan beatified by Pope Pius IX on July 7, 1867. His feast day is September 10.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed John Fernandez
| Blessed John Fernandez | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 10 |
| Profession | Portuguese Catholic Jesuit lay brother and martyr; born Beja Alentejo Portugal c. 1575; Society of Jesus (SJ) lay brother; Japan missionary; martyred beheaded Omura Nagasaki September 28 1620; beatified Pope Pius IX July 7 1867 (205 Martyrs of Japan); feast September 10 |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Society of Jesus (Jesuits; SJ); Portuguese Jesuit Japan mission; 17th-century Japan martyrs; Omura; Nagasaki; Japan; Beja; Alentejo; Portugal |
| Patronage | Portugal; Alentejo; Beja; Japan; Nagasaki; Omura; Jesuits; lay brothers; missionaries; martyrs of Japan; Portuguese Catholics |
| Attributes | Jesuit lay brother's habit; palm of martyrdom; sword (beheaded); September 10 feast; Omura Japan setting; Alentejo plains of Portugal; Jesuit IHS monogram; Japan martyrdom tradition |
| Birthplace | Beja, Alentejo, Portugal |
| Death Place | Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; beheaded; died September 28, 1620, in Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan; Blessed John Fernandez SJ (Portuguese: Beato João Fernandes SJ) was a Portuguese Catholic Jesuit lay brother; born Beja Alentejo Portugal c. 1575; Society of Jesus (SJ); Jesuit lay brother; went to Japan as missionary; martyred beheaded Omura Nagasaki September 28 1620; beatified Pope Pius IX July 7 1867 (205 Martyrs of Japan); feast September 10 |
| Primary Shrine | Nagasaki, Japan; beatified Pope Pius IX July 7 1867; feast September 10 |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; September 10 feast locally in Japan and Portugal |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
John Fernandez was born c. 1575 in Beja, in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. He entered the Society of Jesus as a lay brother and was sent to Japan as a missionary, continuing the Jesuit mission inaugurated by Saint Francis Xavier in 1549.
He ministered to the underground Catholic communities of Japan during the Tokugawa persecution. He was captured and beheaded at Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, on September 28, 1620.
He was beatified by Pope Pius IX on July 7, 1867, among the 205 Martyrs of Japan. His feast day is September 10.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Beja, Alentejo, Portugal
Death location: Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
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Feast day
September 10
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