Servant of God Justus Takayama Ukon, a Japanese samurai who died in exile in the 17th century, was beatified on February 7 by Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

According to the website dedicated to his cause for sainthood, Blessed Takayama Ukon is now one step away from full sainthood. 

Tuesday’s ceremony, which took place in Osaka, the prefecture of TUkon’s birth, marks only the fifth Japanese beatification since the elevation of the 26 Martyrs in 1627.

Born in 1552 to a family of landowners, Ukon was the heir of Takayama Tomoteru, the lord of Sawa Castle in Yamato Province. His father converted to Catholicism in 1564 and brought his 12 year-old son with him into the faith. He was given the name Justus at the time of his baptism. When he grew up to become the officer of Ukonoefu, he took the name Ukon, which was customary for samurai at the time. He is said to have married and fathered three sons and one daughter.

Together with his father, they fought to secure their position as Christian lords, known as kirishitan daimyos, and managed to acquire Takatsuki Castle in Osaka. They pushed their Christian policies forward and inspired the conversion of many souls.

Speaking about the missionary zeal of Ukon, Cardinal Amato told Vatican Radio that he started seminaries in Azuchi, ‎Takatsuki and Osaka with the purpose of training Japanese missionaries and catechists. Among these seminarians were many martyrs, such as the Jesuit St. Paul Miki. Because of Ukon’s work, the number of Christians grew dramatically in the region. In 1583 there were as many as 25,000 of them out of a population of 30,000. Ukon also founded the Church in Osaka.

However, in 1587, Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi turned against Christianity and ordered the expulsion of all missionaries. Ukon was called upon to deny his faith or lose his fief. He gladly gave up everything. For several years, he lived in fear for his life and remained in hiding with friends.

In 1614, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu decided to exterminate all vestiges of Christianity from the country and, knowing that he could not force Ukon to apostasize, exiled him from the country. Ieyasu figured that it was the equivalent of killing him because he would probably not survive the rigors and hardship of sea travel.

Ukon once again proved his strength in the Lord and arrived safely in Manila  together with 300 Japanese Christians.

However, the victory would be short-lived. Forty-four days later, Ukon contracted a tropical sickness and died on February 3, 1615.

Even though the process for his canonization began almost immediately after his death, all documentation in Japan was completely sealed for more than two centuries.

However, on January 21, 2016, Pope Francis signed a decree clearing the way for Ukon’s beatification as a martyr.

PRAYER FOR THE INTERCESSION OF BLESSED JUSTUS TAKAYAMA UKON

God, in Your Wonderful Providence, You have chosen Justus Ukon Takayama to be a singular promoter of Your Kingdom, and an undaunted witness to the Catholic Faith — Reward, we beseech you, his zeal for Your Glory, and graciously grant us what we humbly ask through his intervention.

Grant us also that following his example, we may bravely bear all trials for the sake of our holy Catholic Faith. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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