Feastday: September 28
Birth: 1582
Death: 1633
Beatified: 18 February 1981, Manila, Philippines by Pope John Paul II
Canonized: 18 October 1987, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II
Saint Fr. Jacobo Kyushei Gorobioye Tomonaga de Santa María (c. 1582 - August 17, 1633) was born in Kyudetsu, Japan. In his youth, he dedicated himself to the catechism apostolate. After 1614, he came to Manila and, aspiring to greater perfection, he besought reception into the Dominican Order. His request was granted. Ordained priest in 1626 he returned to his native country in 1632, risking his life for the service of God and the conversion of souls. After one year of difficult apostolate in the midst of dangers, privations and sufferings, his hiding place was discovered by the authorities through the revelations of his own catechist, Miguel Kurobioye. Arrested in July 1633, he was put to the torture of the gallows and the pit on August 15, 1633; expiring after two days of agony. His body was cremated and the ashes thrown into the sea.
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Jacobo Kyushei Gorobioye Tomonaga de Santa María (Japanese: ヤコボ・デ・サンタ・マリア朝長五郎兵衛, Yakobo de Santa Maria Tomonaga Gorōbyōe; c. 1582 – August 17, 1633) was a Japanese Dominican priest. He composed one of the first modern Japanese dictionaries.
Life
Jacobo Kyushei Gorobioye Tomonaga was born of a noble Christian family in Kuidetsu (part of modern Ōmura, Nagasaki), Japan. In his youth, he studied with the Jesuits and became a catechist. After 1614, he came to Manila and became a Franciscan tertiary. He then sought admission to the Dominican Order and was accepted. He was ordained a priest in 1626 and sent to the island of Formosa (Taiwan). He returned to Manila in 1630.
He returned to Japan in 1632 as a missionary. He served to spread Catholism during the period of Christians persecution.
After returning to Japan he spent very difficult years of hunger, his life was at risk and he was continually in hiding. In July 1633 his hiding place was uncovered by the authorities with the help of the traitor Matthew Kohioye, who was his own catechist, he was caught and put into prison. There he was tortured by gallows and thrown into a pit on 15 August 1633. In two days he was dead. His body was not buried but burnt and thrown into the sea.
Jacobo Kyushei Tomonaga was declared Venerable on 11 October 1980 by Pope John Paul II (decree of martyrdom), who later beatified him on 18 February 1981 in Manila, Philippines and canonized him on 18 October 1987 in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.
