Saint Lorenzo Ruiz - the Protomartyr of the Philippines
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| Saint Lorenzo Ruiz |
His Birth
Lorenzo was born in Binondo, Manila sometime in the 1600s to 1610 since his baptismal records were destroyed during the war and this left some probability on when he was actually born. He was named after the Great Martyt of Rome, St. Lawrence the Deacon which somehow prophecies his future.
He was among the many Filipinos in whose veins blended the mixture of two oriental blood: Chinese from his father and Filipino from his mother. Being of mixed parentage, he had the advantage over many children of his age for he could speak both the language of his father and his mother.
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| An artistic depictionof Lorenzo as a Sacristan |
In his formative years, he studied Spanish from the Dominicans who were in charge of the parish of Binondo, and from then he also learned the fundamentals of faith. Lorenzo became an errand boy of the friars and also a sacristan. When he grew older, he was employed as an “escribano” (calligrapher) because of his skillful penmanship. Lorenzo later got married and was blessed with three children.
His Family Life and the Confradia
Having been brought up in a Christian atmosphere, he directed his family towards an abiding trust and love of God. Lorenzo himself was a devout Catholic: he was a faithful Mass-goer, was among the few who were encourage to receive Holy Communion every first Sunday of the month, and was a great lover of the Virgin Mary. He joined the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary (later on known as Guardias de Honor de la Virgen del Santisimo Rosario) and spent some of his precious time in spreading the devotion to Mary.
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| San Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions by Rafael del Casal |
Lorenzo was a happy man. All he dreamed of was to fulfill his obligations as a husband and father. But the serenity and peace he enjoyed was not meant to endure. He accidentally quarreled with a Spaniard and not long after he was accused of homicide. No one knew how true the accusation was but Lorenzo feared for his life so he sought to escape from Manila.
As if to answer to his desire, he learned that Dominicans were then preparing to embark on a mission in some place in the Orient. Lorenzo volunteered to join the group and with a heavy heart bade goodbye to his loved ones. The friars who must have known the trouble he was passing through did not hesitate to take him. Lorenzo’s intention, however, was to remain in Macao and there earn a livelihood for his family.
The Japanese Persecution
The Tokugawa Shogunate was persecuting Christians by the time Ruiz had arrived in Japan. The missionaries were arrested and thrown into prison, and after two years, they were transferred to Nagasaki to face trial by torture. He and his companions faced different types of torture
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| Lorenzo being tortured by the Japanese |
The expedition was a clandestine one because the missionaries were going to a forbidden place, and due to unknown political reason, they did not pass Macao, but sailed directly to Japan. It must be recalled that in those days Christianity in Japan was under siege. Christians were hunted down, put to prison and executed. When Lorenzo became aware that his plans were thwarted and that he was headed instead for another trouble,he was dismayed. But after some reflection, he changed his plan of working in Macao and decided to be a missionary himself. Upon arrival in Okinawa, the missionaries set out to fulfill their mission in the forbidden country. They proceeded secretly and cautiously.
His Suffering
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| The horca y hoya torture |
His Profession of Faith
When Lorenzo’s turn came, he was asked the following question: “If we grant you your life, are you willing to renounce your faith?” Lorenzo gave them a quick answer: “I am a Christian and this I profess, and although I did not come to Japan to become a martyr, I am now willing to give up my life for God. You can do with me whatever you please."
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| Portrait of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions used for his Canonization in Rome |
His Glorious Martyrdom
Lorenzo, like his companions, was sentenced to die. The place of the execution was Nishizaka Hill, Nagasaki, and a similar place to Calvary. Muzzled and hand tied, the prisoners marched barefoot to the place. To inflict more sufferings to the victims, death was administered slowly and painfully. The punishment to which the prisoners were subjected differs one from the other.
Lorenzo was hanged head down inside a small pit and only his limbs were seen from above the ground. This form of torture was known as tsurushi in Japanese or horca y hoya ("gallows and pit") in Spanish. The method was supposed to be extremely painful: though the victim was bound, one hand was always left free so that victims may signal their desire to recant, leading to their release.
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| The Beatification Rites in Manila |
A few months later, the news of their martyrdom was heard in Manila through the Portugese messengers from Macao who actually witnessed the whole events and the Churches of Intramuros, most especially the Churches of Santo Domingo and San Ignacio (A Jesuit was also martyred by the name of Padre Marcelo Mastrilli SJ, who was later beatified) rang their bells and Te Deum is sung in thanksgiving.
The Cause for Sainthood and Beatification in Manila
With the help of the records that were retrieved from the archives from Italy, France, Spain and in Japan through the efforts of the country's prominent historian, Rev. Fr. Fidel Villaroel OP, the annals of his life and martyrdom came into light, most specifically the actual eyewitness account of the events that the Portuguese envoys wrote centuries ago, and he later published a book entitled "Lorenzo de Manila and his Companions:The Protomartyr in the Philippines". 
The Positio Super Introductione Causae or the Cause of Beatification of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was also prepared for the cause of his beatification. The companions that was also proposed for the Beatification cause are his actual companions Fr. Antonio Gonzales OP, Fr. Miguel Aozaraza OP, both Spaniards, Fr. Guillaume Courtet OP of French Origin, Fr. Vicente Shiwozuka dela Cruz OP and Lazaro of Kyoto, both of Japanese origin. The group also included Fr. Domingo Ibanez de Erquicia OP, Fr. Jordan de San Esteban OP, both Spanish Fr. Jacobo Kyushei de Santa Maria, OP, Fr. Miguel Kurobioye, OP, Fr. Lucas del Espiritu Santo OP, Fr. Tomas Hioji del San Jacinto OP, Japanese priests, Francisco Shoyemon OP, Mateo Kohioye del Rosario OP, both Japanese Tertiaries, Sister Magdalena de Nagasaki, a novice of the Dominican Third Order originally a Tertiary from the Order of Augustinian Recllects (her superiors were martyred) and Sister Marina de Omura OP, a professed Dominican Tertiary. His biography became widespread throughout the nation and the Filipino people became aware of their first Filipino who will became a saint.In February 1981, during Pope John Paul II's Papal Visit to the Philippines, Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified along with his companions. It was the first beatification ceremony to be held outside the Vatican in history. He later unveiled a bronze statue of the new beati, his gift to the Filipino people and placed in front of the tree that was planted by Pope Paul VI during his Papal Visit. The statue is located a few blocks away from Quirino Grand Srand.
The Miracle that lead to his Canonization
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| Cecilia Alegria Policarpio |
Her family pleaded for help and prayers to devotees of the new Beati and they seek for his intercession. A few months later, she was cured completely and they attributed this through the intercession of Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz and companions. As of this writing, she now resides in Paranaque City and serve as choir member at the Presentation of the Child Jesus Parish, BF Homes, Paranaque City.
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| The Canonization Rites of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions in Rome |
His Canonization
The miracle to Ms. Policarpio was carefully studied and was later accepted that merited his Canonization. San Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions were canonized by the same Pontiff in St. Peter's Square on 18 October 1987, making him the first Filipino saint. His Feast day is assigned on October 28 since October 29 - the day of his death - is the Feast of Sts. Michael, Grabriel and Raphael in the revised Roman Calendar.
Pope John Paul II (now also a Canonized Saint) in his homily during the Canonization Rites, he shared some insights on their martyrdom: "Sixteen men and women bore witness, by their heroic sufferings and death, to their belief in the message of salvation in Christ which has reached them after being proclaimed from generation to generation since the time of the Apostles.
In their sufferings, their love and imitation of Jesus reached its fulfillment, and their sacramental configuration with Jesus, the one Mediator, was brought to perfection. These holy martyrs, different in origin, language, race and social condition, are united with each other and with the entire People of God in the saving mystery of Christ, the Redeemer.
May this task of Evangelization begin in Philippine families, following the example of Lorenzo Ruiz, husband and father of three children, who first collaborated with the Dominican Fathers in Manila, and then shared their martyrdom in Nagasaki, and who is now the first canonized Filipino saint."
Devotion
After his Beatification and Canonization, news miracles continue to inundate through his intercession from cures, conversions among others. The Binondo Church, where he served as an altar boy was raised to the status of a Minor Basilica soon after his Canonization.
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| The processional image of St. Lorenzo Ruiz leading the famed La Naval de Manila Procession |
Since there were no records or depictions of his appearance, several artists attempted to have a good depiction of the Saint. The most popular depiction of the Saint is that of a Chinese Mestizo wearing a white camisa de chino (white shirt with long sleeves), black pants and a rosary in his hands in reference to his membership to the Confradia de Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario. In the recent years, his iconography was developed with the inclusion of the martyr's palm, a rope to signify his captivity and the tortures he endured, a red or velvet alampay to signify his noble and heroic death and the scapular of the Confradia de la Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario (Now known as Guardias de Honor de Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario de La Naval de Manila) to emphasize his membership to this Illustrious confraternity. This development of his iconography was evidently seen in the processional image of the famed La Naval de Manila Procession where his image leads the flank of 27 Dominican Saints.
We Christians of today—how would we stand up in the circumstances these martyrs faced? We see the courage—unexplainable in human terms—which surged from their store of faith. Martyrdom, like ordinary life, is a miracle of grace. May the life of our First Filipino Saint inspire us to live and defend our faith and live through his example as he said in his confession before the Japanese tribunal: "I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God; If I had a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer."
Herbermann, Charles, ed., "Japanese Martyrs". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1913.
Pedrosa, Ceferino, "Witnesses of the Faith in the Orient: Dominican Martyrs of Japan, China and Vietnam", Provincial Secretariat of Missions, Dominican Province of Our Lady of the Rosary, Hong Kong, 1989
References:
Herbermann, Charles, ed., "Japanese Martyrs". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1913.
Pedrosa, Ceferino, "Witnesses of the Faith in the Orient: Dominican Martyrs of Japan, China and Vietnam", Provincial Secretariat of Missions, Dominican Province of Our Lady of the Rosary, Hong Kong, 1989
Villarroel, Fidel, "Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and Companions", [Fourth edition] Quezon City: UST Press, 2011.
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