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Our Lady Queen of the Martyrs Pray for us

Our Lady Queen of the Martyrs Pray for us

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

St Magdalene of Nagasaki


St Magdalene of Nagasaki (died 1634), an Augustinian Tertiary in Japan, in spite of great danger and difficulty, remained faithful to Jesus Christ until her martyrdom.

Born in the early seventeenth century, Magdalene belonged to a devout Christian family. Her parents were martyred around 1620, when Magdalene was in her teens.

It was around this time that the first Augustinians arrived in Japan. As a committed Catholic Christian, Magdalene made herself known to them. She served as a catechist and interpreter for the early Augustinian missionaries.

She found their Augustinian spirituality appealing, with its emphasis on the search for God, interior life, and community. She asked to be accepted into the Order of Saint Augustine, and in 1625 was formally received into the Augustinian Third Order.

Being a Christian in Japan became more and more difficult, and with the growth of Christianity persecution became stronger. Magdalene fled to the hills, where she worked at bringing the Word of God to those who did not know Jesus, and strengthening the faith of those who did.

In 1632 the Augustinians Francis of Jesus Terrero and Vincent of Saint Anthony Simoens, who had been her first counsellors, were burned to death by the pagan Japanese government because of their Christian faith. This only served to make Magdalene's faith and commitment to Christ even stronger. She located two other Augustinian Friars, Martin of Saint Nicholas Lumbreras and Melchior of Saint Augustine Sánchez. They mutually encouraged each other in persevering in the faith..

Eventually these two Friars were also martyred. Magdalene then took as her spiritual guide Jordan of Saint Stephen, a Dominican. Dominicans also follow a variant of the Rule of St Augustine.

She considered becoming a full-fledged Dominican sister, but continued religious persecution kept her from doing so.

Moved by her strong Christian conviction, and when she could hide no more, Magdalene voluntarily declared herself a follower of Jesus. She was arrested, threatened, ridiculed and tortured, but her Christian witness was strong and unfailing.

After 13 days of torture, wearing her Augustinian habit, Magdalene was suspended upside down in a pit of garbage and eventually died of her tortures. Then her body was burned and her ashes scattered.

Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1981 and canonized her in 1987.

3 comments:

  1. Stephen
    This is a most interesting and inspiring story. I have never heard of this brave lady before and I thank you for bringing her, and so many other brave martyrs, to our attention through your blog. I really find your blog interesting and check into it a couple of times a week to see who you've posted. Great work - keep it up. God bless.

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  2. Hello again Stephen
    Have a look at my latest post. I think you might find this martyr, and relative of St David Lewis, of interest to you. God bless.

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  3. Hi Bread girl, forgive me but I have not got around to doing so, as I have been busy this past few weeks and for the moment cannot afford to have the internet either in my home, so I must come to the library to use its internet facility, which is not at all that good and very slow. When I get around to getting the internt again in a few weeks I shall certainly take a look at that post.

    God bless and thank you for the support you give my blog.
    Stephen <3

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