ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 2nd of September
BL. BARTOLOME GUTIERREZ, MARTYR
Blessed Bartolome was an Augustinian missionary in Japan. He was born in Mexico City, 1580 and died in Nagasaki, Japan, September 3, 1632.
On June 1, 1597, he took his vows in the Augustinian monastery of his native city.
On February 22, 1606, he left for the Philippines.
In 1612 he was sent to the Augustinian missions in Japan, and in May 1613 he became prior of Usuki.
HE SPENT 15 YEARS IN JAPAN IN THE MIDST OF A BLOODY PERSECUTION
Because of a decree of banishment, he went into exile in October 1614, but he returned to Japan in 1618.
He spent 15 years in Japan in the midst of a bloody persecution. On November 10, 1629, he and his catechist (Bl.) Brother John Shozuburo, were arrested at Kikizu in Arima.
TWO YEARS IMPRISONMENT
After two years of imprisonment at Omura, Bl. Bartolome was taken with six others, among them two women, to Mt. Unzen to be tortured in the hot sulphur springs for one month.
They were then taken to the Cruzmachi prison of Nagasaki. On September 3, 1632, they were carried to the Hill of Martyrs to be burned alive.
THE CHRISTIANS FORMED PROCESSIONS AND SANG PSALMS
The firewood was arranged in a wide circle. In the midst were six columns to which one of their fingers was tied. Many people witnessed the martyrdom. The Christians formed processions and sang psalms.
HIS BEATIFICATION
After the fire had died down the charred bodies of the martyrs were burned completely and the ashes thrown into the ocean. Bartolome was beatified on July 7, 1867.
(Information from encyclopedia.com)
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