Susan Tan

Martyred: the Story of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz Susan Tan

September 29, 1637, Nishizaka Hill, Japan: Lorenzo Ruiz, a prisoner upholding the Christian virtues of courage and faith, is martyred for his refusal to renounce his Catholic faith.

When Lorenzo is targeted by Spanish officials as a scapegoat for murder, he has no choice but to escape from the Philippines to avoid arrest and possibly execution. Leaving his wife and three children behind, he joins Dominican missionaries on their ocean voyage to Japan. Little does he know that the threats he is trying to escape from in the Philippines are nothing in comparison to the dangers that await him in Japan.

This novelized account of the life of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, a married Chinese-Filipino layman, retraces the series of events that lead up to his violent martyrdom in 17th century feudal Japan.

Themes include: martyrdom, persecution, and history.

Features & Benefits:

- Written by a Filipina author

- Defines Japanese terms

- Portrays 17th century Japanese/East Asian culture and customs

- Integrates history of Christian persecution during the Edo period of the Tokugawa shogunate

- Incorporates themes of racism, colonialism, and feudalism

- Includes Prayer to Saint Lorenzo for the Sick