Saint Peter Baptist
Saint Peter Baptist (born June 6, 1545 AD in San Esteban del Valle, Ávila, Spain; died February 5, 1597 AD in Nagasaki, Japan) was a Spanish Franciscan missionary and the leader of the 26 Martyrs of Japan — the first martyrs of the Japanese Church, crucified on the hill of Nishizaka in Nagasaki on February 5, 1597, by order of the military ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was canonized by Pope Pius IX in 1862. His feast day is February 6.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Peter Baptist
| Saint Peter Baptist | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | February 06 |
| Profession | Franciscan friar; missionary in Mexico, Philippines, Japan; leader of the 26 Martyrs of Japan; martyr |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Order of Friars Minor (OFM); Japan mission; Spanish missionaries; 26 Martyrs of Japan; Franciscan martyrs |
| Patronage | Japan; missionaries to Japan; the 26 Martyrs of Japan; Franciscan missionaries; Nagasaki; those executed for the faith by crucifixion |
| Attributes | Franciscan habit; cross (crucifixion); Japan setting; the 25 companion martyrs; lances piercing the side; Nagasaki harbor; winter march |
| Birthplace | San Esteban del Valle, Ávila, Spain |
| Death Place | Nagasaki, Japan |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; crucified at Nagasaki on February 5, 1597, on the hill of Nishizaka, along with 25 companions; he was one of the 26 Martyrs of Japan; the martyrs were first mutilated (left ears were cut off in Kyoto), marched 600 miles from Kyoto to Nagasaki in the winter, and then crucified on wooden crosses; they were then pierced with lances; they sang the Te Deum and the Franciscan psalms as they died |
| Primary Shrine | Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument, Nishizaka Hill, Nagasaki, Japan — the site of the crucifixion; museum with relics and documents; UNESCO World Heritage component; the principal martyrdom memorial in Japan |
| Liturgical Class | Memorial (Roman Rite); February 6 (feast of the 26 Martyrs of Japan) |
| Historic Class | Double (February 6) in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Peter Baptist Blásquez was born on June 6, 1545, in San Esteban del Valle, Ávila, Spain. He entered the Franciscan Order and served as a missionary in Mexico and the Philippines before going to Japan in 1593.
In Japan he worked in Kyoto and Osaka under the tolerant policy of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In late 1596 the political situation changed after a Spanish shipwreck raised fears of Spanish conquest. Hideyoshi ordered the arrest of the Franciscan missionaries.
Peter Baptist and 25 companions — Franciscan friars, Jesuit lay brothers, and Japanese lay Catholics — were arrested, had their left ears cut off, and were marched 600 miles from Kyoto to Nagasaki in the winter of 1596–1597.
On February 5, 1597, they were crucified on the hill of Nishizaka above Nagasaki harbor. They sang psalms and the Te Deum as they died. Peter Baptist, the oldest and leader, spoke to the crowd from his cross, pardoning Hideyoshi and all who sought his death.
Pope Urban VIII beatified the 26 Martyrs in 1627. Pope Pius IX canonized them on June 8, 1862 — the first canonization to include Japanese saints.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: San Esteban del Valle, Ávila, Spain
Death location: Nagasaki, Japan
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Peter Baptist have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| St. Peter Baptist & Companions | 5–15 minutes | Daily Lives of Franciscan Saints |
| Feb 6 - Sts. Peter Baptist, Paul Miki S.J. & Comp - Franciscan Saint of the Day | 5–15 minutes | Franciscan Media |
| St. Peter Baptist & Companions | 5–15 minutes | Radio Immaculata |
Shrines
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Known shrines
- Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument, Nishizaka Hill, Nagasaki — site of the martyrdom; UNESCO World Heritage component.
Feast day
February 6
Veneration
Saint Peter Baptist was the leader of the 26 Martyrs of Japan — the first martyrs of the Japanese Church, crucified at Nagasaki on February 5, 1597. They were the first Japanese saints to be canonized. Their feast is February 6.
Prayers
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