Blessed Leonard Kimura
Blessed Leonard Kimura (Japanese: Reonardo Kimura; born 1575 AD in Nagasaki, Japan; died November 18, 1619 AD in Nagasaki, Japan) was a Japanese Jesuit lay brother who was burned alive for the faith during the Tokugawa persecution of Christians in Japan. He is honored among the Martyrs of Japan. His feast day is November 18.
The grandson of one of the first Japanese converts baptized by Saint Francis Xavier, Leonard Kimura entered the Society of Jesus as a lay brother and served the mission faithfully. Arrested for sheltering missionaries, he was imprisoned and then burned at the stake at Nagasaki. He was beatified in 1867.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Leonard Kimura
| Blessed Leonard Kimura | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 18 |
| Profession | Jesuit lay brother; catechist |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Society of Jesus (Jesuits); Martyrs of Japan |
| Patronage | Japanese Catholics; Jesuit brothers; catechists; those who shelter persecuted missionaries |
| Attributes | Palm of martyrdom; flames of the stake; Jesuit dress; Japanese setting |
| Birthplace | Nagasaki, Japan |
| Death Place | Nagasaki, Japan |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; burned alive for the Catholic faith during the Tokugawa persecution of Christians in Japan; Japanese Jesuit lay brother |
| Primary Shrine | Nagasaki, Japan |
Biography
Leonard Kimura was born in 1575 at Nagasaki, Japan, into a Christian family. He was descended from one of the earliest Japanese converts—by tradition, the grandson of a man baptized by Saint Francis Xavier himself, the pioneer of the mission to Japan. Raised in the faith, Leonard served the Jesuit mission from his youth and in time entered the Society of Jesus as a lay brother.
As a Jesuit brother he assisted the priests in many ways—as catechist, interpreter, and helper—and during the intensifying persecution he risked his life to shelter and support the missionaries who now had to work in hiding, after the Tokugawa shogunate had banned Christianity and expelled or driven underground the clergy.
He was arrested for harboring missionaries and was imprisoned. During a long and harsh captivity he continued to encourage his fellow prisoners and even to instruct and baptize. Condemned to death, Leonard Kimura was burned alive at the stake at Nagasaki on November 18, 1619, together with other Christians, dying steadfast in the faith.
He was beatified on July 7, 1867, by Pope Pius IX, among the Martyrs of Japan. His feast is kept on November 18.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: None
Death location: None
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Leonard Kimura have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Feast day
November 18
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.