:Great Martyrdom of Edo

File:Jerome_de_Angelis.jpg ]]

The Great Martyrdom of Edo{{Sfn|Committee for Promoting Canonisation|2022}} was the execution of 50 foreign and domestic Catholics (kirishitans), who were burned alive for their Christianity in Edo (modern-day Tokyo), Japan, on 4 December 1623.

The mass execution was part of the persecution of Christians in Japan by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Among the executed was Jerome de Angelis (1567–1623), an Italian Jesuit missionary to Japan.

Background and execution

= Background =

In August 1623, Tokugawa Hidetada retired the shogunate and his son Tokugawa Iemitsu was appointed shogun.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=12}} He continued his father's policy of Christian prosecution. As shogun, he established the office of {{Transliteration|ja|shūmon aratame yaku}}, the office of inquisition, and used it for his policy of eradication of Christianity in Japan.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=14}} Tokugawa Iemitsu considered it important not only to keep the legislation against Christianity of his father, but also to set an example.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=14}} This example was set with the Great Edo Martyrdom.

Shortly before or after Tokugawa Iemitsu returned from Kyoto on 18 October 1623, a number of Christians were arrested and held at the Kodenmachō Jailhouse in Edo.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=18, 25}} These arrests came in the wake of a betrayal by a servant of the Christian hatamoto {{Ill|John Hara Mondo-no-suke Tanenobu|jp|原胤信}}.{{Sfn|Roldán-Figueroa|2021|p=33}}

The decision on how to proceed with the jailed Christians was laid before the new shogun, who hesitated and first consulted with his retired father who advised that such a decision must be taken by the shogun.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=18, 25}} Tokugawa Iemitsu then took the decision to execute all 51 jailed Christians.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=18, 25}}

The date of the execution was set to 4 December 1622.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=25}} This date was probably chosen because many daimyos were in Edo during this time of the year and the execution was meant to leave an impression on them.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=25}}

= Execution =

The execution happened in the Tamachi area of Edo on 4 December 1622.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=1}} It was carried out on the roadside of the Tōkaidō, the most important of the Five Routes, connecting Kyoto to Edo. The choosing of this busy place was again a sign that the mass execution was intended to set an example.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=1}}

The execution began with the {{Ill|Hikimawashi|jp|市中引き回し|lt=hikimawashi}}, a parade of the condemned around the city. The procession was led by three persons on horseback: Jerome de Angelis, an Italian Jesuit missionary; Francis Galvez, a Franciscan priest; and {{Ill|John Hara Mondo-no-suke Tanenobu|jp|原胤信}}, a Japanese Christian hatamoto.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=27}} According to a Jesuit annual letter,{{Efn|The letter ({{Lang|it|Lettera annua del Giappone dell'anno 1624}} [Annual letter from Japan from the year 1624]) was authored by Joao Rodrigues Girão and finished in Macau on 28 March 1625.{{Sfn|Roldán-Figueroa|2021|p=91}} It was translated into English by Edmund Neville in 1630.{{Sfn|Rodriguez Girão|1630}}}} fifty-one people were led to the stake during this procession, but one renounced his faith and was not put to death.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=28}} The same annual letter describes that a sign was put up to explain the reason why this severe punishment was to be carried out. It read:

{{Blockquote|text=These men are condemned to so severe a punishment because they are Christians.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=29}}}}

The three Christians on horseback were set aside and the 47 other Christians were being burnt alive first. Then the burning of Jerome de Angelis, Francis Galvez and John Hara Mondo-no-suke Tanenobu followed.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|pp=29-30}}

List of the martyrs

File:Girolamo De Angelis.jpg]]

Of the 50 martyrs 36 have been identified by name:{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|pp=31-32}}

{{Ill|John Hara Mondo-no-suke Tanenobu|jp|原胤信}}
Jerome de Angelis
Fr. Francis Galvez, O.F.M.
Leo Takeya Gonshichi (Jerome de Angelis' host)
Hanzaburo Kashiya
John Chozaemon (Francis Galvez' catechist)
Simon Empo (Yemon), S.J. (born 1580; dōjuku to Jerome de Angelis){{Sfn|Roldán-Figueroa|2021|p=33}}{{Sfn|McKeown|2023}}
Peter Kisaburo
John Matazaemon
Michael Kizaemon
Laurence Kashichi
Matthias Yazaemon
Laurence Kakuzaemon
Matthias Kizaemon
Thomas Yosaku
Peter Santaro
Peter Sazaemon
Matthias Sekiemon
Ignatius Choemon
Simon Muan
Denis Ioccunu
Isaac
Bonaventure Kyudayu
John Shinkuro
Hilary Magozaemon (Francis Galvez' host)
Francis Kizaemon
Sashimonoya Shinshichiro
John Chozaemon
Roman Gon'emon
Emmanuel Buemon
Peter Kiemon
Kizaburo
Peter Choemon
Andrew Risuke
Raphael Kichizaemon
Kishichi
Anthony

Beatification and remembrance

File:Gen-na Kirisitan iseki 0231.jpg, Tokyo]]

Of the 50 executed only Jerome de Angelis, Simon Empo (Yemon) and Francis Galvez were beatified as part of the 205 martyrs of Japan on 7 July 1867 by Pope Pius IX, because there was deemed to be insufficient information about the other 47.{{Sfn|The Jesuits Prayer Ministry Singapore|2023}}{{Sfn|Broeckaert|1869|p=215}} John Hara Mondo-no-suke Tanenobu was later beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in Nagasaki on 24 November 2008 together with 187 other martyrs of Japan.{{Sfn|Bifet|2008}}{{Sfn|Vatican News|2008}}

The execution site was left unoccupied at first, then a small Buddhist temple named {{Ill|Chifukuji Temple|lt=|jp|智福寺_(練馬区)}} was built directly on it.{{Sfn|Cieslik|1954|p=1}} This temple has now been moved and a monument for the remembrance of the execution has been erected.{{Sfn|Daughters of St. Paul|2008}}

On 19 November 2023, the Archbishop of Tokyo, Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, celebrated Mass at Takanawa Catholic Church, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Great Martyrdom of Edo.{{Sfn|McKeown|2023}}

References

= Notes=

= Citations =

= Sources =

{{Cite web |last=Bifet |first=Juan Esquerda |date=28 November 2008 |title=Beatificación de los Siervos de Dios Pedro Kibe Kasui y 187 compañeros mártires (1603–1639) |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/2008/ns_lit_doc_20081124_giappone_sp.html |website=L'Osservatore Romano |page=10 |language=Es}}
{{Cite book |last=Broeckaert |first=Joseph |url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofblessedcha00broe/lifeofblessedcha00broe |title=Life of the Blessed Charles Spinola, of the Society of Jesus: with a sketch of the other Japanese martyrs, beatified on the 7th of July, 1867 |date=1869 |publisher=John G. Shea |location=New York}}
{{Cite journal |last=Cieslik |first=Hubert |date=1954 |title=The Great Martyrdom in Edo 1623. Its Causes, Course, Consequences |journal=Monumenta Nipponica |volume=10 |issue=1/2 |pages=1–44 |doi=10.2307/2382790 |issn=0027-0741 |jstor=2382790}}
{{Cite web |last=McKeown |first=Jonah |title=Catholicism and martyrdom in Japan: Church marks 400 years since Edo massacre |url=https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2023/12/17/catholicism-and-martyrdom-in-japan-church-marks-400-years-since-edo-massacre/ |access-date=19 May 2024 |website=The Catholic World Report |language=en-US |date=17 December 2023}}
{{Cite book |last=Rodriguez Girão |first=João |title=The Palme of Christian Fortitude. Or The glorious combats of Christians in Iaponia |year=1630 |translator-last=Neville |translator-first=Edmund |hdl=20.500.14106/A08121}}
{{Cite book |last=Roldán-Figueroa |first=Rady |url=https://brill.com/display/book/9789004458062/BP000003.xml |title=The Martyrs of Japan: Publication History and Catholic Missions in the Spanish World (Spain, New Spain, and the Philippines, 1597–1700) |date=2021 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-45806-2 |series=Studies in the History of Christian Traditions |volume=195 |language=en |doi=10.1163/9789004458062}}
{{Cite web |last=Committee for Promoting Canonisation |date=18 February 2022 |title=Testimony to Love: The 400th Anniversary of the Genna Great Martyrdom (2022-3) |url=https://www.cbcj.catholic.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/400th_Anniv_Genna.pdf |website=Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan}}
{{Cite web |date=24 November 2008 |title=Canonizations {{!}} Beatifications: Beatification, 24 November 2008, Nagasaki (Japan) |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/index_canoniz-beat_en.html |website=Vatican News |ref={{SfnRef|Vatican News|2008}}}}
{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=December 4th: Blessed Jerome De Angelis, SJ and Blessed Simon Yemon, SJ |url=https://www.jesuit.org.sg/dec-jerome-angelis-simon-yemon-sj/ |website=The Jesuits Prayer Ministry Singapore |ref={{SfnRef|The Jesuits Prayer Ministry Singapore|2023}}}}
{{Cite web |date=8 May 2008 |title=元和のキリシタン殉教碑芝口札の辻 |trans-title=Christian Genna Martyrdom Monument: Shibaguchi-no-tsuji |url=https://www.pauline.or.jp/kirishitanland/20080508_fudanotuji.php |website=Daughters of St. Paul |ref={{SfnRef|Daughters of St. Paul|2008}}}}