Translation by the author of “An Account of the 1624 Martyrdoms of Padre Diogo de Carvalho and His Companions in the River at Sendai,” from Pagès, Léon, 1869, Histoire de la Religion Chrétienne au Japon depuis 1598 jusqu’a 1651… (Vol. 1, Chapter IX (1624) pp. 569-577. Paris: Charles Douniol.
“In the first year of Nengo Couanyei (1624), the temple of Foyezan was built at Edo.
“The Shogun, when he was raging in Edo, had not imposed persecution on other princes, but the better part of them imitated him in servile fashion.
“Masamune, the most compromised, sent out the order to his lieutenants to count the number of Christians. His officers, each in his own jurisdiction, were to establish the role. Padre Diogo de Carvalho was then residing in Sendai, as the superior of his Company, consoling the Christians of the town and visiting the surrounding countryside. He had gone to celebrate the feast of Christmas at Miwake [Iwate], the fief of a virtuous lord, Juan Goto, who Masamune himself had given permission to be a Christian publicly, with all his vassals.
“The day of Epiphany, Padre de Carvalho received from his Provincial a letter of friendship destined for Juan, which associated this spiritual friend with the merits and works of the Company, as authorized by a pious use, for certain outstanding benefactors. God had reserved for this lord a different brotherly union: that of martyrdom, with that venerable Padre, who for so many years worked so well, in the heat of the day and by many tests, had deserved the crown of blood.
“Goto, by the will of the prince, was left off the roll [of Christians], but Moniwa Irami[1], one of the governors, who wanted to put an end to the Christians, and who justly considered Goto to be as the cornerstone, essential either to deflect or put to death.
“Another governor, Chimonda Daisem, who perceived the plans of Irami, and who was one of Juan’s friends, tried to persuade this one, and represented to him the benefits of the prince; Goto countered him with divine benefits, infinitely superior. In vain Daisem invited his own wife to try to persuade him. That lady, after a thousand instances, ended by saying to Goto that if he abjured, she herself, in recognition of such a blessing, would cut off her hair, a singular sacrifice among the Japanese. Nothing moved his Christian zeal, invincible in his conscience. But at this time he awaited his martyrdom, and prepared with the sacraments; he wrote down in print his profession of faith, to be sent to Masamune, protesting, in this act, his devotion to the point of giving his life, but not to sacrifice his friendship.
It was then that Padre de Carvalho, fearful of drawing down upon his host an immediate death, separated himself from him, but to remain still in the lands of Masamune; for he had resolved to die with his sheep, when the time came, and he chose for his exile, in the valley of Orocho, a land of mines, the house of Mathias Isioye and a narrow hut attached to the main body of the house. He did not have with him either a catechist or a servant. Juan Goto was then exiled in Nambu, a country in the north of Oshu. The census of Christians was carried out rigorously; and the faithful Christians were brought back to Sendai to await the will of the prince.
“Sixty Christians of the town of Orocho had withdrawn into the valley, and had constructed cabins in the neighborhood of the Padre. The agents of the law, after a fruitless search in the principal seat, perceiving the trails going out into the snow, followed them to the Christians. First they sacked the cabins, then they seized the people, and bound them; the greater part of them were naked, because their pursuers had torn up their clothes. Padre de Carvalho, seeing this misfortune, came to deliver his ministers, and told them, “I am the father of these poor people!” and presented his hands to be chained. At the capture of the Padre, a great number of Christians returned. The Padre offered, as was his custom, refreshment to the pursuers; and preferring to change his Japanese dress so as to appear as a Religious, he took off his sword and dagger; but they told him it was more convenient to leave these with the governors. He wanted to uncover his tonsure, but having a few days since shaved his head, he could not make the tonsure, and so shaved his head completely, resembling the indigenous priests.
“Having arrived at Miwake, the prisoners remained at the judge’s gate, from the morning to the Ave Maria, chilled to the bone, and penetrated by the snow. Kindly people took many of them and gave them other people’s clothes. They refused this hospitality, even for a few hours, as they should not be able to pray.
“The Padre was taken before the judges with two Christians, Matteo Mangobioye and Pablo Kinsouke. The Padre listed his name, his country, and the sort of preacher he was, adding that he would gladly give his blood for Jesus Christ. The two neophytes declared their qualities, the one as a patron and the other as a disciple of a missionary.
(p.572) After this audience, they put the confessors in a hut, where the Padre used the whole night in confessing the Christians.
When the sun rose, the confessors were lead to Mizusawa, a place two days’ journey distant. All had their hands bound, and on one streamer attached to their shoulders one could read the name of Christian. They were made to pass along the principle roads of the villages, to humiliate them.
The voyage was very painful on account of the snow, so abundant in Japan. Two old men, Alexis Colemon and Dominges Dosai, were not able to survive the procession; they were made to kneel, and were decapitated in place, on 9 February. Their bodies were cut in pieces in order to test their swords.
At the place where they stopped for the night, the Padre was left at the place of the judges of that town; thereof they desired to hear discourse on the Christian religion. The missionary explained the Symbol. Thus the apostolate ever continues itself, on this royal road of the cross and of martyrdom.
At Mizusawa none offered their home to house the travelers; they passed the whole day in the bad weather of the air, incessantly buffeted by a glacial wind. That night they were provided shelters. It was there that an officer, seeing the beretta of black cloth of Padre de Carvalho, demanded it as a welcome gift. The Padre responded that it was a special object and reserved for the use of priests, but he would give him another object of the same stuff, and he kept his promise.
The next day, two principal officers of Masamune, Safaoca Bingo and Fachimoto Boungo, made an appearance before the Padre and the Christians. They menaced the Padre with more cruel torture: “My most ardent desire,” responded he, “is to be cut in pieces and reduced to impalpable powder like tobacco, for the love of my God and in testimony of his law, which I have come to teach you all.” The judges, contrary to custom, captured Sabina, the wife of Mathieu, and brought her into the enclosure. “You have refused,” they then said to the Padre, “to recommend apostasy to men. This is a woman; persuade her to obey.” “I do not want to offend, then,” [illegible] responded the Padre. They made him leave when they realized that his presence strengthened the Christians: they hoped that, with the missionary far away, their punishments would overcome all their resistance. However the Christians, during the approach of the torture, remained on their knees, and with a humble confidence, each awaited their turn. Three among them, Paul, who declared himself a disciple of the Padre, León Gonyemon and Matías had their legs put in stocks, and they squeezed them so violently that they were bent and were almost broken. But the confessors remained invincible.
The two judges then dispatched the prisoners to Sendai, to the principal governor, Souwo, for him to dispose of them at his good pleasure.
It was February 10; only the Padre had a mount; all the others journeyed on food: the cold, the rain, and the snow tested them cruelly. The Padre consoled his companions; but his eloquence added little to the divine consolation, which filled their souls. Perhaps the most happy was Leon, whose legs had been dislocated and bruised, and who walked quickly, without seeming to feel any pain.
On the road, a Christian, named Miguel, followed the confessors, and begged the soldiers to let him join them. They refused him, because he was not in fact native to the lands of Masamune.
At a little distance, another Christian, Julián Fiyemon, sought the same grace, and they allowed it, by reason of his origin.
At Sendai, Souwo had thrown into the public prison the confessors to the number of nine. The Padrerequested an audience with Masamune, but was not able to obtain it; because this tyrant was afraid to be convinced by the Religious and to seem to be without excuse even in the eyes of the world.
Before the arrival of the confessors at Sendai, many other Christians, brought from various districts, had suffered martyrdom there.
(p. 574) The first of February, Marco Casioye and Maria, his wife, had been burned on a slow fire[2]. Maria, in the middle of the flames, shed copious tears, because, said she, God had given her the grace to die for his glory, and she could not contain her happiness. And, in this effusion of holy gratitude, she expired.
Among the other martyrs was an old man of seventy years, Juan Anzai[3], a doctor, and ancient host of Padre de Carvalho, and Anna, his wife, of an equally advanced age. Souwo made them remain in the river that traverses the city, and plunged into the semi-frozen waters; they descended by stages, sometimes up to their knees, sometimes to their waists. After three hours, they were made to leave the river, and they were put naked on a horse, and were conducted through the city, stopping at every street to be doused with cold water; at last they expired, richer in merits than they were loaded with years, leaving to Christians their marvellous example, and filled with admiration the pagans as well.[4]
The Japanese year was coming to its end, and many of the magistrates wanted to delay the torture of Padre de Carvalho and of his hosts until after the solemnities of the new year; but other advice prevailed, and on the last day of the year, which was the 18th of February, they commenced their martyrdom.
At two hours before noon, the Padre and his companions were (p. 575) were conducted to the river. There had been hollowed out in the river a basin of just two palms depth [15 centimeters] and twenty palms [152.4 cm] in diameter, fed by the current; here pilons were set. The confessors were made to enter, despoiled of their clothing, this icy water; they made them sit there, tied firmly to the pilons. In this ordeal, the victims invoked Jesus and Mary, and uttered nothing but blessings. The spiritual Padre encouraged his disciples with his words and with his example. He was seen talking with a calm face in the middle of this freezing bath, as if he had been sitting on a stool in his cell, in a friendly talk; and when he ceased to speak, he lowered his eyes and gave himself over to profound meditation.
In vain did those standing by, in their impious compassion, exhort the martyrs to apostasy, and addressed the Padre with numberless curses. The Padre and his disciples remained insensible to these voices of hell.
After three hours of this painful torture, they were brought out, for the judge did not allow them to die there.
They had suffered so much that it was painful to move; and, stiff with cold, they stretched out on the sand, without finding any relief for their sore limbs. However, the Padre sat on his crossed feet, in the Japanese manner, and clasping his hand on his chest, he bowed his head and gave himself over to prayer.
The other two martyrs, Matías Jifioye, host of the Padre, and Julián Jiyemon, died on the sand. Julián, raising his eyes to heaven, exclaimed, as if he had seen a vision: “What is it, Lord?” and on these words, he gave up his spirit.
The governor sent a new request to the Padre, who responded again, “I neither can, nor do I wish to,”[5] and who added these words, “It is a sacred duty not to make a point of obeying men, when their commandments are contrary to divine law.” This incredible insistence on the part of the governor was remarkable and had to be; he deviated on this occasion from the proud disgust that the lords pretended; but he had the heart to win the victory, and would have been purchased by the greatest sacrifices.
They decapitated the two dead men, and their bodies, cut into a thousand pieces, they dispersed in the river. Then they brought the survivors to the prison until the 22nd of February, the fourth day of the Japanese New Year.
They are then put into the icy pond, tied nude to the same posts; they were compelled to stand, with the water up to their knees, as long as their strength allowed; then they were made to sit, with water up to their chests, and they alternated between these two positions until nightfall, when the water became solid.
The Padre, whom they urged without interruption, responded again, “I neither can, nor I will.” His companions continued to give God blessings and praise.
A freezing wind reigned at that hour; its breath penetrated, sometimes filling the whole sky, and sometimes mixed with snow, and swept the compressing flakes. The holy martyrs, stifled by the wind, inundated by the snow, forsaw the moment of their passage; they invoked divine assistance, and they made their farewells, promising each other mutually that the first to reach the goal would beg God for perseverence for his brothers. Padre de Carvalho, always immobile and in a profound contemplation, seemed already to enjoy the sovereign good of Jesus his divine master.
The first to die was León Gonyemoni, cruelly tested by the cold; he was in anguish, and the Padrerepeated to him with love, “Just a little while, just a little while, and your illness will be over.” And Leon, entrusting himself to Jesus and Mary, persevered unto death.
The second was Antonio Sazayemon and the third was Mathias Choiano.
About Matías they tell a marvellous miracle: He had already passed away, when the Padre, thinking him alive, called to him twice. The cadaver answered, “Matías is already dead.” This obedience, which survived even martyrdom, fortified his companions who knew he was dead, and the Padre, who cried out, “Be happy and blessed!”
Matías was soon followed by Andreas Niyemon, by Matteo Mangobioye and by Matías Tonoyemon. This last, close to death, said to the holy Religious: “Farewell, my Padre, I see the end,” and on the response of the Padre, “Go, my son, in the peace of God,” he died peacefully.
It was the fifth hour of the night, and the crowd had left. The valiant captain had the consolation of sending before him his well-beloved disciples and his sons in Jesus Christ, and he survived them all, remaining motionless right up to the end, as if he had been made of stone; those Christians who wanted to attend his death affirm that he succumbed only around midnight.
In the morning they retrieved the bodies in order to cut them in pieces and throw them in the river. Nevertheless the Christians were able to obtain the head of Padre de Carvalho[6] and those of four others.
This martyrdom was carried out on the orders of Daté Masamune, through the ministry of Moniwa Souwo, one of his governors.[7]
[p. 593 et seq. (rel chretienne 10-12) details the death of Luis Sotelo at Omoura, translated in Boxer and found elsewhere in my notes.]
[p. 607, rel chret. 13, notes that nothwithstanding all the martyrdoms, there were 63 baptisms in Dewa and Oshu at this time.]
[1] I have been unable to identify the identities of any of the non-italicized names.
[2] The footnote here reads: They were in the place [called] Omoura, in Wóchou [Oshu] They were exposed naked during the whole day, then promenaded shamefully, before suffering martyrdom.
[3] The footnote reads: Cardim calls him Joachim, and puts his death on 14 February.
[4] The footnote reads: The other martyrs were: at the beginning of February, at Sendai: Andreas Camon, and Pablo Sancouro, his son, burned alive at the same time, at Sendai, Andreas Itchiyemon, father of Juan Anzai, and Luis, servant of the same; later, after he had been tortured with fire; both of them decapitated. At the same time, at Joyoma, in Wóchou, Simon Ficoyemon, ancient host of Father de Carvalho, Monica, wife of Simon, and N., their son, decapited; and at Ousoukino, Gaspardo Itchiyemon, decapitated. The 18th of August, in Dewa, Andreas Fatchizò was decapitated.
[5] The footnote reads: Non posso, nem quero (from a Portuguese author).
[6] The footnote reads: Franco says that a nobleman obtained the entire body of the Father. He adds that the life which he himself published is drawn from ancient manuscripts of Japanese affairs, preserved in the archives of the Procurator of the Indies, at the college of San Antonio.
[7] The footnote reads: For the Father, 28th article of apostolic Proceedings.