Beatification of Justo Takayama Ukon

Among the many saints in the history of the Church in Japan (42 saints and 393 blessed, including European missionaries), all martyrs killed "in odium fidei" during several waves of persecution, the case of Takayama is a special figure: he was in fact, a layman, a politician, a soldier (he was a feudatory and samurai), who was not killed but chose the path of following Christ, poor, obedient and crucified. Ukon gave up a social position of high rank and wealth, in order to remain faithful to Christ and to the Gospel.

Born into a family of landowners, Ukon converted to Christianity at the age of 12, came into contact with Jesuit missionaries, and followed the footsteps of his father. The Gospel was introduced in Japan by the Jesuit Francis Xavier in 1549 and had quickly spread. When shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi took power and prohibited the practice of Christianity, all the great feudal lords accepted the measure, but not Ukon. He lost his properties, his position, his social status, honor and respectability. He became a wanderer and was forced into exile. With three hundred other Japanese Christians he fled to Manila where, just forty days after his arrival, he fell ill and died on February 4, 1615.

The ceremony will be held on February 7, 2017 from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm in Osaka-Jo Hall to be presided by S.E.R. Mons. Angelo Cardinal Amato, S.D.B.

The solemn ceremony will be available live on youtube from 11 am to 3 pm: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d96PSEkMqHo