Lorenzo Ruiz is the first Filipino Saint. The first Filipino officially declared martyr for the Christian Faith.

Lorenzo Ruiz was a layman, married and had two sons and a daughter. Born in Binondo, Manila, about 1600, he was educated in the school run by the Dominicans there. He served as an altar boy and later as a helper and clerk- sacristan in the church of Binondo. He was a member of the Confraternity of the Rosary.

An adverse event made him leave the Philippines in 1636 joining the Dominican mission to Japan. Upon arriving in Japan where Christians were being persecuted, he was arrested and imprisoned together with his companions. He underwent inhuman tortures and valiantly confessed his Christian faith. Refusing to renounce his faith, he told his executioners that he was ready to die for God and give for him many thousands of lives if he had them. On September 27, 1637, he was hung from the gallows by his feet, his body falling into a pit. After two days of agony, he died of bleeding and suffocation. His body was cremated and the ashes thrown into the sea.

Sixteen other martyrs in that same persecution during the years 1633, 1634 and 1637, were "beatified" by Pope john Paul II in Manila in February 18, 1981, and officially declared "saints" by canonization on October 18, 1987 in Rome.  Of the seventeen, ten were Japanese, four Spaniards, one Italian, one French, one Filipino. Nine were Dominican priests, two Dominicans brothers, two Dominican nuns, and four lay people.

Only Lorenzo Ruiz was Filipino, married, and head of a family. Their feast day is September 28.

(Excerpted from the pamphlet by Msgr. Antonio R. Rebanal)

PRAYER IN TIMES OF TRIAL AND ADVERSITY

Glorious San Lorenzo Ruiz and companion martyrs, you generously responded to the invitation of Our Lord: "If anyone wishes to be my disciple let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me". You left family, friends and the comforts of your homeland to share your faith in God's redeeming love for all people of every race, nation and time.
Obtain for us the grace to share our faith by word and example with all those who sincerely seek the Way, the Truth and the Life. Strengthen us in times of trials and adversities; make us aware that Jesus had conquered for us every evil, every weakness, every limitation, even sin and death, by his life, death and resurrection.

With him, we are strong in spite of our weakness, we triumph in spite of our failures, we find joy and peace in spite of trials and adversities.

You know what it is to be away from home, separated from family and friends. We pray for families displaced by poverty, or injustice, or violence or war. We pray for those driven to misery by their addiction to drugs, or alcohol, or gambling or other vices. We pray for our sisters and brothers away from home, separated from family and friends,-lonely, disheartened, discouraged, dejected.

We pray that like you they may be comforted by God's grace, and like you we may be brought to the everlasting joys of our heavenly home, reunited with our loved ones, with Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
 

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Last modified: 08/10/10