Brother Paul Miki, a Jesuit and a native of Japan, has become the best known among the martyrs of Japan. While hanging upon a cross, Paul Miki preached to the people gathered for the execution: “The sentence of judgment says these men came to Japan from the Philippines, but I did not come from any other country. I am a true Japanese. The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ. I certainly did teach the doctrine of Christ. I thank God it is for this reason I die. I believe that I am telling only the truth before I die. I know you believe me and I want to say to you all once again: Ask Christ to help you to become happy. I obey Christ. After Christ’s example I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.” When missionaries returned to Japan in the 1860s, at first they found no trace of Christianity. But after establishing themselves they found that thousands of Christians lived around Nagasaki and that they had secretly preserved the faith. Beatified in 1627, the martyrs of Japan were finally canonized in 1862. Their feast day is February 6th.
St. Paul Miki and Companions
Feast Day: February 6
Patrons of: Japan and Persecuted Christians (and often invoked for courage in faith)
St. Paul Miki and Companions are also known as the 26 Martyrs of Japan.
Who they were
- St. Paul Miki was a Japanese Jesuit catechist.
- His companions included priests, religious, and laypeople—Japanese and foreign missionaries.
- They were arrested during the persecution of Christians in Japan and were crucified in Nagasaki on February 5, 1597.
- From the cross, St. Paul Miki preached forgiveness and faith in Christ.
- They were canonized in 1862 and are honored by the Church on February 6.
PRAYERS
Prayer
Holy Martyrs of Nagasaki, you and countless others gave your lives in witness to the faith that God planted in your hearts. Please pray for me, that I will be a witness to Christ in all that I do. Holy martyrs of God, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Prayer
St. Paul Miki and your faithful companions, you remained strong in faith despite persecution and death. Pray for us, that we may have the courage to stand firm in our beliefs, the grace to forgive our enemies, and the zeal to share Christ with the world. May your witness inspire us to live each day with unwavering trust in God. Amen.
Prayer for Endurance and Perseverance
Lord Jesus, I offer You the crosses in my life. Help me to endure this sacrifice with the same joy Saint Paul and his fellow martyrs had. Turn the crosses I must endure into a ministry of prayers more powerful than words.
Saint Paul Miki and companions, pray for me.
Prayer to St. Paul Miki and Companions
O proclaimers of the faith
even unto death,
death on a cross,
you who have followed
in the way of our Lord
so completely,
loving your enemies
even as they killed you,
encouraging your brothers
even with your last breath –
may the blood you shed not be forgotten
by those of the nation in which you preached
and by all souls who seek God;
may it nourish the land
and bring it to bear much fruit
unto Heaven.
Pray that we who are so fearful here
may find the faith and courage
you displayed
and so be blessed with the same grace
that imparts the peace of the kingdom.
Prayer to St. Paul Miki and Companions
O holy martyrs of Japan,
Saint Paul Miki and his companions,
who by your courage and faithfulness
gave witness to Christ even unto death,
pray for us.
Help us to remain strong in our faith
when we are tested,
to speak the truth with love,
and to trust in God even in suffering.
May your example inspire us
to follow Christ faithfully
in our daily lives.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer for Courage and Faith
Saint Paul Miki and holy companions,
you proclaimed the Gospel with fearless hearts
and accepted the cross with peace and forgiveness.
Intercede for us,
that we may have courage in times of trial,
faith in moments of doubt,
and love even toward those who oppose us.
May we never be ashamed of Christ,
but always live as true witnesses to His love.
Amen.
Prayer for Courage in Faith
O God,
you strengthened St. Paul Miki and his Companions
to remain faithful to Christ
even in the face of suffering and death.
Through their prayers,
grant us courage to live our faith openly,
to speak the truth with love,
and to trust in you during trials.
May we follow Christ with steady hearts
and remain faithful in all circumstances.
Amen.
Prayer for the Church and the World
O Lord,
through the witness of St. Paul Miki and his Companions,
you showed the power of faith and forgiveness.
Protect all who suffer for their belief in you today.
Strengthen your Church in unity and peace,
and inspire us to be faithful witnesses
through our words and actions.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer for Perseverance and Hope
Holy Martyrs of Japan,
you proclaimed Christ with joy
and forgave your persecutors from the cross.
Intercede for us,
that we may persevere in faith,
remain hopeful in difficulty,
and respond to hardship with patience and love.
Help us to remember
that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
Amen.
NOVENA PRAYERS TO ST. PAUL MIKI AND COMPANIONS
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed throughout his life, from the time of his entrance into Your Church when he was five years old.
St. Paul Miki, your parents were not Christians at the time you were born. But they converted to Catholicism when you were five years old, and you entered into the Church you would serve with such dedication throughout your life.
Please bring my petitions before God with dedication!
As you grew older, you began to desire to serve God more devotedly in this Church you were now a part of. You were ready to dedicate your life to Him in the priesthood.
Pray for me, that I may always be a willing servant of God. Pray that I may be eager to dedicate my whole life to Him.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in choosing to dedicate his life to Your service as a Jesuit priest.
St. Paul Miki, you were educated at a Jesuit college as a young man. As you grew in your Faith and your knowledge of God, you came to recognize your vocation to the priesthood.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you longed to serve!
You threw yourself into the task of studying for the priesthood, but religious persecution cut your vocational journey short. You were never able to be ordained, because you were martyred for your Catholic Faith.
Pray for me, that I may be ready to serve God in whatever ways He calls me to. Pray that I may be willing even to give up my life for Him if necessary.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in choosing to serve You as a member of the Jesuit religious order.
St. Paul Miki, you received your education from members of the Jesuit religious order. It was not long before you felt yourself called to serve God among them yourself.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served!
You studied and trained for many years before you entered the Jesuit order. You longed ardently to be ordained as a Jesuit priest. But instead, you answered the call to give up your life for your Faith.
Pray for me, that I may be as devoted to God’s service as you were. Pray that I may even be ready to die for my Faith if necessary.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in his many years of studying for the priesthood.
St. Paul Miki, you longed to dedicate your life to serving God as a Jesuit priest. You studied and trained for eleven years in preparation, never wavering in your desire to answer God’s call.
Please do not waver in bringing my petitions before God!
You were so filled with the desire to bring souls to God that you even devoted time and energy to study of other religions.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to deepen my understanding of God through study. Pray that I may use my knowledge of God to bring souls to Him, as you did.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in seeking to bring non-Christians to You.
St. Paul Miki, you devoted time and effort to the study of the Buddhist religion, in order to be able to debate Buddhist priests. You longed to bring them to conversion, for the love of God.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
You were eager to share your Catholic Faith with others, even amidst religious persecution.
You worked to prepare yourself, so that you might be as ready as you could be to help bring souls to God.
Pray for me, that I may be as eager to share my Faith with others as you were. Pray that I may be ready to do all I can to bring souls to God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in holding fast to his Faith amidst persecution, even to the point of death.
St. Paul Miki, you were arrested for your Catholic Faith, along with many others. You were imprisoned, and you must have known that your death would come soon. You persevered in your Faith, despite great suffering.
Please persevere in bringing my petitions before God!
You had your ear severed as a sign of disrespect, and you were made to walk about six hundred miles to the place of your death. Through this suffering, you never wavered in your Faith or your love of God.
Pray for me, that I may be as faithful as you were. Pray that I may never waver in my Faith, no matter what sufferings I may face.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the courage he showed in holding fast to his Faith, even to the point of death.
St. Paul Miki, you were studying to become a priest in a society that was becoming hostile to Catholicism. Rather than abandon your vocation amidst the difficulties you faced, you courageously continued on in your Faith.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God!
You were arrested and imprisoned because of your Faith. Your ear was cut off, and you were made to walk hundreds of miles. You endured these sufferings with great courage, remaining faithful and devoted to God until the end.
Pray for me, that I may be courageous in practicing my Faith. Pray that I may hold fast to my Faith even to the point of death if necessary.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in choosing to forgive those who were going to kill him.
St. Paul Miki, you suffered a lot because of your Faith. Despite the many physical sufferings you endured before you were killed, you did not give in to hatred or bitterness. You remained faithful to the end.
Please be faithful in bringing my petitions before God!
You were fasted to a cross to die, because of your Faith. But before your executioner thrust his lance into your side, you forgave him.
Pray for me, that I may have the grace to forgive as you did. Pray that I may be able to forgive even those who have hurt me deeply.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Paul Miki Novena – Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Paul Miki, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed throughout his life and martyrdom.
St. Paul Miki, you longed to give your life to God’s service. You entered the Jesuit religious order and intended to become a priest, but God called you to give your life to Him in a different manner.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
You willingly chose to suffer great persecution, rather than renounce your Faith. Ultimately, you chose to die rather than turn from God Whom you loved so deeply.
Pray for me, that I may be a faithful servant throughout my life as you were. Pray that I may put service to God even above preserving my own life.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Paul Miki, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
PRAYER TO SAINT PAUL MIKI AND COMPANIONS
I pray, Dear Lord, source of strength for all your saints, you led Paul Miki and his companions through the suffering of the cross to the joy of eternal life see me through these hard times. I n these troubling times, I am filled with unspeakable fears
I am filled with unspeakable fears. I reach out my hand to you now, and ask you to walk besides me. I cannot carry all my burdens, But I know you can, and will. Please walk beside me. Please guide me. Please help me hold on strong, Through the trials and storms. Help me hold on to my faith, In even the darkest hour. Stay with me Lord, and show me Your way. In your love and Holy Spirit, I abide.
Amen.
COLLECT
O God, strength of all the Saints,
who through the Cross were pleased to call
the Martyrs Saint Paul Miki and companions to life,
grant, we pray, that by their intercession
we may hold with courage even until death
to the faith that we profess.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.
Amen
Patron Saints of Japan
Saint Paul Miki, you accepted martyrdom rather than abandon your faith. You chose to serve those closest to you rather than to flee. Inspire in us the same love of God and man so that we too can know, love, and serve God in the heroic fashion that made you so brave and composed in the face of intense suffering.
Amen.
Prayer
God our Father, source of strength for all your saints, you led Paul Miki and his companions through the suffering of the cross to the joy of eternal life. May their prayers give us the courage to be loyal until death in processing our faith. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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