St. Lorenzo Ruiz

Lorenzo Ruiz (1600-1637) is the first Filipino saint, and also the first Filipino martyred for the Christian Faith. He was a married layman, had two sons and a daughter, and made his living as a calligrapher. When he was in his late twenties or early thirties, he became involved or was accused of being involved in a criminal case, the circumstances of which are far from clear. He was afraid that, as a consequence of a trial or mistrial, he might be given a death sentence. He fled the Phillippines and went to Japan, where Christians were being persecuted. He and his companions were arrested and imprisoned.  Refusing to renounce his Faith, he told his executioner that he was ready to die for God and give himself for many thousands of lives if he had them.

On September 27, 1637, he was hung from a gallows by his feet, his body falling into a pit. After two days of agony, he died of bleeding and suffocation. He and fifteen companions, martyred in the same persecution, were beatified by Pope John Paul II in Manila on February 18, 1981, and canonized on October 18, 1987, in Rome. Their feast day is September 28th.