This Japanese Martyr Was an Augustinian Laywoman

Martyred when the Empire of Japan was killingChristians simply for the"crime" of being Catholic. At least they've stopped doing it, though it took a while.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

St. Magdalene of Nagasaki was an Augustinian tertiary, part of the same religious family as Pope Leo XIV, and was killed for her faith in the 17th century.

There have been many martyrs in Japan over the centuries, as rulers did not look favorably at those who professed the Christian religion, trying to stamp out its influence in the country. Despite such harsh persecution, many Christians were willing to risk their lives for Jesus Christ, refusing to renounce their religion, even when threatened with death.

St. Magdalene of Nagasaki was one of those Christians, as she was martyred in the 17th century at the tender age of 23. She was not afraid to proclaim her faith and did not hide herself when persecutors came to kill her.

Augustinian tertiary

St. Magdalene was born in 1611 near Nagasaki and was the daughter of Christian parents. Early on in life she was attracted to the Augustinian Order, and was spiritually counseled by Francis of Jesus Terrero and Vincent of St. Anthony Simoens. These two priests guided her and led her to a deeper relationship with Christ.

Eventually she became an Augustinian Tertiary, which means that she still lived in the world, but followed the Augustinian spirituality. She never married, but she also never entered any convent.

St. Magdalene taught catechism to children and distributed alms to the poor. Then her two spiritual advisors were martyred and so she sought out two other Augustinians to guide her.

Many were being killed for their faith at the time, but instead of shrinking away from persecution, St. Magdalene freely turned herself into the civil authorities, declaring her Christianity.

Shortly thereafter she was martyred for the faith in the year 1634. She was eventually canonized in 1987 along with St. Lorenzo Ruiz by St. John Paul II, who praised their witness:

Today’s canonization of Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions, martyred in and around Nagasaki between 1633 and 1637, constitutes an eloquent confirmation of these words. Sixteen men and women bore witness, by their heroic sufferings and death, to their belief in the message of salvation in Christ which had reached them after being proclaimed from generation to generation since the time of the Apostles.

St. Magdalene's courageous faith is inspiring, along with her commitment to the Augustinian religious family, which now has a pope at the head of the Catholic Church. Her annual feast day is October 20 on the Augustinian calendar, while she is also celebrated on September 28, with St. Lorenzo Ruiz.