Saint Lorenzo Ruiz: First Filipino Saint and Martyr

by: Bro. Lito Dawa

Lorenzo Ruiz was the son of a Chinese father and Filipino mother 

who lived in the Parian district outside the city walls of Manila. His father 

taught him Chinese, and his mother taught him Tagalog. Both of his parents 

were Catholic.

Lorenzo Ruiz who married Rosario had three children -- two sons and a 

daughter.

He served as an altar boy at the convent of Binondo Church.

After being educated by the Dominican friars for a few years, Lorenzo Ruiz 

earned the title of escribano (stenographer) because of his skillful hand and 

unsurpassed penmanship.

In 1636, while working as a clerk at the Binondo Church, Ruiz was 
falsely accused of killing a Spaniard.

He sought asylum on board a ship with three Dominican priests: Saint Antonio

Gonzalez, Saint Guillermo Courtet, and Saint Miguel de Aozaraza, a Japanese 

priest, SSaint Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz, and a layman named Saint Lazaro 

of Kyoto, a leper.

Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions left for Japan on June 10, 1636 with the aid

of the Dominican fathers and Sr. Domingo Gonzales.

Japan is a Shintoist and Buddhist country, which venerates the gods and 

honors Buddha.

The boat landed at Okinawa and the group was arrested and persecuted 

because of their Christian religion.

They were brought to Nagasaki on July 10, 1636 and subjected to torture by 

his Japanese captors for more than a year.

Tied upside down by his feet and dropped into a well where sharp stakes lined 

the bottom, his torturers would stop just before he would be impaled, and 

there upon try to convince him to renounce his faith.

Needles were also inserted under their finger nails and they were beaten until 

unconscious.

The method was supposed to be extremely painful: 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.

Some of his companions recant their faith, but Lorenzo Ruiz never did.

"Deny your faith and we will spare your life," his persecutors said.To which

Lorenzo Ruiz answered, “Isa akong Katoliko at buong pusong tinatanggap ang

kamatayan para sa Panginoon. Kung ako man ay may isang libongbuhay, lahát

ng iyon ay iaalay ko sa Kanya. ("I will never do it. I am a Catholic and happy 

to die for God. If I have a thousand lives to offer, I will offer them to God.")

Existing documents attest that the Japanese promised him a safe trip back 

home where he could be reunited with his loved ones, but Lorenzo Ruiz 

staunchly chose to remain faithful to his religion.

On September 22, 1637, Lorenzo Ruiz, Fray Domingo and their 14 companions

were led up a hill overlooking the bay of Nagasaki.

There they were hung upside down with their heads inside the well. Their 

temples were slit open to let blood drip slowly until they died either from loss of 

blood or asphyxiation.

Many died after several days.

Lorenzo Ruiz died last, on September 29,1637 due to hemorrhage and 

suffocation. His body was cremated and his ashes were thrown into the sea

Lorenzo Ruiz was Beatified on February 18, 1981 during his Papal visit to 

Manila, the first beatification ceremony held outside the Vatican.

    Canonization

The miracle that led to his canonization took place when Cecilia Alegria 

Policarpio , a 2 year old girl suffering from a rare brain disease, brain atrophy 

(hydrocephalus) was cured through the intercession of the family and 

supporters of Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz. This took place in 1983.

San Lorenzo Ruiz was elevated to Sainthood and canonized by Pope John Paul 

II in the Vatican City, Rome on October 18, 1987 making him the first Filipino 

saint and martyr.

"The Lord gives us saints at the right time and God waited 350 years to give us 

this saint," the Holy Father then said. "It is the heroism which he demonstrated 

as a lay witness to the faith... which is very important in today's world. The 

witness of San Lorenzo is the testimony we need of courage without measure to 

show us that it is possible.

Faith and life for Lorenzo was synonymous and inseparable. Life without faith 

would have been without value...he proved that sanctity and heroism are there 

for anybody and the final victory is made to size for each one of us."

“To live by faith means to put our lives in the hands of God especially in our 

most difficult moments.”

     Do not be afraid to cast yourselves into the arms of God; whatever he asks     

     of you, He will repay a hundredfold.”  Pope Francis