Magdalene of Nagasaki

Quick Facts: Who was Magdalene of Nagasaki?

Subject:

Magdalene of Nagasaki

Known for:

Japanese Christian martyr and saint, known for her steadfast faith in Nagasaki.

Born:

1611

Died:

1634-10-16

Century / Era:

1611s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Magdalene of Nagasaki (長崎のマグダレナ, Nagasaki no Magudarena) (1611 – October 15, 1634) was a Japanese Christian who served as a translator and catechist for the Augustine Recollect missionaries. She became a tertiary of the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Born in 1611 near Nagasaki, Magdalene was the daughter of a Christian couple martyred about 1620. With the arrival of the Augustinian Order in 1623, Magdalene served as an interpreter for the friars Francis of Jesus Terrero and Vincent of Saint Anthony Simoens. In 1625, she became a tertiary of the Order of Augustinian Recollects.

Career & Major Achievements

Magdalene taught catechism to the young, sought alms for the poor, and encouraged the people in times of persecution. In 1632, the two Augustinian friars, who had been her spiritual counselors, were burned alive. After the martyrdom of her counselors, she apprenticed herself to two other Augustinians, Melchior of Saint Augustine and Martin of Saint Nicholas. When these two friars were also put to death, she turned to Giordano Ansaloni de San Esteban, a Dominican. In 1629, she sought refuge with other Christians in the hills of Nagasaki, where she baptized the young and visited the sick.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Seeing so many apostatize, some time later, attired in her Augustinian habit, Magdalene turned herself into the authorities and declared herself a follower of Jesus. At age 23, she died on October 15, 1634, after thirteen days of torture, suffocated to death and suspended upside down in a pit of offal on a gibbet (tsurushi). In the end, the pit was filled with water and she drowned. After death, her body was cremated and her ashes scattered in Nagasaki Bay. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on February 18, 1981, in Manila, and canonized on October 18, 1987, at Vatican City among the 16 Martyrs of Japan.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1611: Birth of Magdalene of Nagasaki — Japanese Christian martyr and saint, known for her steadfast faith in Nagasaki.
2. 1623: 1623 Milestone — With the arrival of the Augustinian Order in 1623, Magdalene served as an interpreter for the friars Francis of Jesus Terrero and Vincent of Saint Anthony Simoens.
3. 1625: 1625 Milestone — In 1625, she became a tertiary of the Order of Augustinian Recollects.
4. 1629: 1629 Milestone — In 1629, she sought refuge with other Christians in the hills of Nagasaki, where she baptized the young and visited the sick.
5. 1632: 1632 Milestone — In 1632, the two Augustinian friars, who had been her spiritual counselors, were burned alive.
6. 1634 (1634-10-16): Passing & Historical Legacy — Magdalene of Nagasaki passed away on 1634-10-16, leaving an enduring historical legacy.
7. 1981: 1981 Milestone — She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on February 18, 1981, in Manila, and canonized on October 18, 1987, at Vatican City among the 16 Martyrs of Japan.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Magdalene of Nagasaki

True or False: “Magdalene of Nagasaki was martyred on October 15, 1634, after being burned alive.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): She died by drowning and suffocation in a pit filled with water, not solely by burning.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Magdalene of Nagasaki