mardi 10 février 2026

Bienheureux HUGUES de FOSSES, prêtre et abbé de l'Ordre de Prémontré

Hugues de Fosses

Hugo de Fosses, Curia Generalizia dei Premostratensi, Viale Giotto 27, Roma. Foto: A. d´Orfey, Kunst im Licht, München, 2010


Bienheureux Hugues de Fosses

Premier abbé de Prémontré (+ 1164)

Il fut l'un des tout-premiers disciples de saint Norbert, le fondateur des Prémontrés. Il l'accompagnait dans ses courses apostoliques. Il prit ensuite la charge du monastère de Prémontré. A la mort du fondateur, il fut son successeur.

Né à Fosses-la-Ville vers la fin du XIe siècle, Hugues fut d'abord clerc de la collégiale de sa ville natale, puis chapelain de Burchard, l'évêque de Cambrai. A Valenciennes il rencontra saint Norbert le 26 mars 1119, qu'il voulut suivre dans sa vie apostolique et il devint son premier disciple. Lorsque Norbert, au concile de Reims, fut confié par le pape à l'évêque Barthélemy de Laon, Hugues retourna chez Burchard. Mais lors de la fondation de Prémontré en 1121, deux ans après, il était de nouveau aux côtés de Norbert, et devint prieur de la nouvelle communauté. Après l'élection de saint Norbert comme évêque de Magdebourg en 1126, les frères, sur la proposition du fondateur, choisirent Hugues pour premier abbé de Prémontré. Le nouveau supérieur construisit l'abbatiale et les édifices conventuels. Pour préserver l'union entre les diverses fondations de saint Norbert, il convoqua les supérieurs de toutes les maisons pour un colloque, qui prit ensuite la forme d'un chapitre général. Il composa avec eux les premiers statuts de l'Ordre de Prémontré et les prescriptions liturgiques. Ainsi, grâce à Hugues, l'Ordre disposa-t-il d'une structure qui lui permit de traverser les siècles.

Doux et humble de cœur, mais également très tenace, Hugues se mettait au service de ses frères. Pendant 38 années, il fut le Père de sa communauté et le garant de l'unité de l'Ordre. Il décéda le 10 février 1164 et fut enseveli dans l'église abbatiale, devant l'autel de Saint André. En 1279 l'abbé Aegidius Van Biervliet transféra son corps devant le maître-autel de l'église abbatiale. L'abbé général Lescellier lui donna un sarcophage encore plus honorable en 1660.

Après la suppression de Prémontré en 1790, par la Révolution française, on transféra son corps à Bassoles; puis, durant la Guerre de 1914-1918, dans la cathédrale de Laon, et enfin dans la sacristie de l'église de Brancourt. Mais ce sanctuaire fut lui aussi gravement endommagé pendant la Grande Guerre. L'évêque de Soissons attira alors l'attention de l'Ordre sur l'état des reliques, et le père abbé Franken, de Bois-Seigneur-Isaac (B), put les recueillir. Elles furent solennellement transférées à Bois-Seigneur-Isaac en 1922. Le pape Pie XI confirma le culte du bienheureux Hugues le 13 juillet 1927.

Vie des Saints et Bienheureux - Postulator Generalis Ordinis Praemonstratensis

À Fosses, alors dans le diocèse de Liège, en 1163, le bienheureux Hugues, abbé. Premier disciple de saint Norbert, celui-ci, devenu évêque de Magdebourg, lui confia la direction du nouvel Ordre de Prémontré, qu'il gouverna avec la plus grande sagesse pendant trente-cinq ans, avec plus de cent fondations en divers pays.

Martyrologe romain

SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/608/Bienheureux-Hugues-de-Fosses.html

Bienheureux Hugues de Fosses

Douceur, humilité, fermeté

Né à Fosses-la-Ville, en Belgique, à la fin du xie siècle, Hugues est envoyé comme chapelain à Cambrai. Là, il est séduit par l’idéal de pauvreté, de prédication et de vie commune que prône un jeune noble converti, Norbert, qui fonde à Prémontré, près de Laon, une communauté de chanoines vivant sous la règle de saint Augustin. Élu évêque de Magdebourg, en 1126, Norbert nomme Hugues abbé général de l’Ordre. À la fois doux et humble, ferme et tenace, Hugues met toute son énergie au service de l’expansion de l’Ordre et de son unité. Il participe à la rédaction des premiers statuts et à l’ordonnance des offices liturgiques. Ces chanoines, qui allient la pratique du sacerdoce séculier avec la vie régulière des moines, disposent ainsi d’une structure propre à traverser les siècles. Hugues s’éteint en 1164, laissant cent cinquante abbayes.

Le Christ a appelé certains à tout quitter pour le suivre, et le bienheureux Hugues, à la suite de saint Norbert, a répondu à cet appel.

Temps de silence

À sa prière, nous pouvons demander au Seigneur de nous donner la force et la détermination nécessaires à l’accomplissement de sa volonté.

Ce mois-ci, à l’écoute de saint Pierre Damien

Êtes-vous affligés, le souvenir de vos péchés vous trouble-t-il ? Entrez dans le Cœur de Jésus, c’est un asile assuré, c’est le refuge de tous les malheureux.

SOURCE : https://francais.magnificat.net/magnificat_content/bienheureux-hugues-de-fosses/



Blessed Hugh of Fosse

Also known as

Hugues

Memorial

10 February

Profile

Priest. Disciple of Saint Norbert, and succeeded him as superior general of the Premonstratensians. Under his leadership the Order grew to 120 houses.

Born

at Fosse, Belgium

Died

1164 of natural causes

relics transferred to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame of LaonFrance in 1896

Beatified

13 July 1927 by Pope Pius XI (cultus confirmed)

Additional Information

Saints of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein

books

Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

other sites in english

Order of Premontre

images

Santi e Beati

Wikimedia Commons

sitios en español

Martirologio Romano2001 edición

fonti in italiano

Santi e Beati

Wikipedia

websites in nederlandse

Heiligen 3s

nettsteder i norsk

Den katolske kirke

spletne strani v slovenšcini

Svetniki

MLA Citation

“Blessed Hugh of Fosse“. CatholicSaints.Info. 7 February 2023. Web. 10 February 2026. <https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-hugh-of-fosse/>

SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-hugh-of-fosse/

Saints of the Day – Hugh of Fosse

Article

Born at Fosse near Namur, Belgium; died 1164; cultus confirmed in 1927. Hugh was ordained and in 1119 joined Saint Norbert, the founder of the Premonstratensians (Canons Regular of Prémontré), as his companion and principal assistant. At first Hugh accompanied Norbert on his preaching missions in Hainault and Brabant. After the founding of Prémontré, he assumed most of the responsibility for directing the house. Hugh succeeded Norbert as abbot general of the order when Norbert was consecrated archbishop of Magdeburg. During Hugh’s thirty-five-year administration, the order grew to over 100 houses. A letter from Saint Bernard to Hugh suggests that he was a man of impetuous disposition (Attwater2, Benedictines).

MLA Citation

Katherine I Rabenstein. Saints of the Day1998. CatholicSaints.Info. 15 April 2022. Web. 10 February 2026. <https://catholicsaints.info/saints-of-the-day-hugh-of-fosse/>

SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saints-of-the-day-hugh-of-fosse/

HUGH OF FOSSE, BL.

First abbot general of the premonstratensians; b. Fosses, near Namur, Belgium, probably 1093; d. Prémontré, Feb. 10, 1164. Chaplain of Bp. Burchard of Cambrai, he became the leading disciple of norbert of xanten in 1119. Having been appointed Norbert's representative at prÉmontrÉ in 1126, he succeeded him as abbot in 1128. Hugh guided the rapid development of the order and formulated its first constitutions, which were in many ways similar to those of the cistercians. He drafted the first Vita Norberti and promulgated the ceremonial books of the order. It is not certain that he was the "Hugo Farsitus" who wrote De miraculis b. Mariae Suessionensis (c. 1135; Patrologia Latina, ed. J. P. Migne, 79: 1777–1800). His cult was approved in 1927; it is doubtful that the relics in the priory of Bois-Seigneur-Isaac are his.

Feast: Feb. 10.

Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum Feb. 2:378. H. Lamy, Vie du B. Hugues … (Charleroi 1925). F. Petit, La spiritualité des Prémontrés (Paris 1947). P. F. Lefèvre, L'Ordinaire de Prémontré (Louvain 1941). J. Dubois, Catholicisme 5:1025–26.

[N. Backmund]

New Catholic Encyclopedia

SOURCE : https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/hugh-fosse-bl

Saint of the Day – 10 February – Blessed Hugh of Fosse OPraem (c1093-1164) Priest, Abbot

Posted on February 10, 2023

Saint of the Day – 10 February – Blessed Hugh of Fosse OPraem (c1093-1164) Priest of the Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and the White Canons. Hugh was one of St Norbert’s first disciples and later became the first Abbot of Prémontré, Born at Fosse, Belgium and died in 1164 of natural causes. Also known as – Hugues. Beatified on 13 July 1927 by Pope Pius XI.

He was born at Fosses-la-Ville in what is now Belgium around the year 1093. He seems to have been orphaned early in life and was educated at the collegiate Church of St Feuillien at Fosses. Upon Ordination, he was made Secretary to Burchard, the Bishop of Cambrai. Whilst accompanying the Bishop through Valenciennes, Hugh and Burchard happened upon St Norbert who was there preaching. St Norbert came to visit the Bishop and was led into the Episcopal presence by a Cleric.

The Bishop, looking at him standing there with bare frozen feet and dressed in rough clothing, absolutely amazed and dumbfounded, fell upon his neck with a gasp and cried out: “Oh Norbert, who would ever have believed or even thought this of you!” The Cleric who had admitted Norbert, wondered about the Bishop’s affection for him and asked the reason. The Bishop answered: “This man whom you see, was brought up with me in the Court of the King, a man noble and abounding in delights, to such a degree that he refused my Bishopric when it was offered to him.” Hearing this, the Cleric’s eyes filled with tears, both because he saw his master weeping but also because, he longed for a similar way of life. Secretly he discovered when and where Norbert would be continuing his journey.

But Norbert was suddenly seized by a serious illness while still in the City. The Bishop kindly tended his illness, daily visiting him, both himself and through the members of his Court. The aforementioned Cleric was among those visitors and when Norbert grew stronger he approached him and promised to accompany him in his profession and journey. Norbert thanked God thinking that the man was going to set out with him right away. But when the Cleric stated that he first wanted to set his affairs in order, Norbert was troubled at his words and said only: “Ah, brother, if this is of God, it will not be undone.” The Cleric left, promising to return and, disposing of his possessions, a little later did return, henceforth to follow the man of God. The name of that cleric was Hugh.

After returning to Norbert’s side, Hugh followed St Norbert on his many journeys over northern Europe and was present at the foundation of Prémontré in 1120. Hugh was made the first Prior of the Abbey and when Norbert took up his appointment of Archbishop of Magdeburg, Hugh became the first Abbot.

As Abbot, Hugh laid the foundations of the legislative and liturgical life of the Order. He organised the system of General Chapters, wrote the first Statutes of the Order and organised the various liturgical offices. He was also devoted to the education and training of his clerics and governed the Order during those early years of rapid expansion.

Known especially for his humility, Hugh never signed his name with ‘Abbot’ but only as ‘Servant of God and Norbert.’ Having laboured so hard for the good of the Order, Hugh died at Prémontré on 10 February 1164. In 1279 his Relics were moved to the High Altar of the Abbey Church of Prémontré and in 1660, given more elaborate furnishings. With the coming of the Revolution Hugh’s Relics were safely hidden in a number of locations until they found a place at the Abbey of Bois-Seigneur-Isaac.

In 2010, his Relics finally found a permanent home in Rome, at the Generalate of the Order. How appropriate that the first Abbot of Prémontré, should now ever be close to his successors.

Prayer:
Almighty eternal God, Who always calls new men, so that they might make Thy way known to others, we humbly entreat Thee, through the merits and intercession of Thy Abbot, Blessed Hugh that by praying and working, we may build up Thy people into one. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Author: AnaStpaul

Passionate Catholic. Being a Catholic is a way of life - a love affair "Religion must be like the air we breathe..."- St John Bosco Prayer is what the world needs combined with the example of our lives which testify to the Light of Christ. This site, which is now using the Traditional Calendar, will mainly concentrate on Daily Prayers, Novenas and the Memorials and Feast Days of our friends in Heaven, the Saints who went before us and the great blessings the Church provides in our Catholic Monthly Devotions. This Site is placed under the Patronage of my many favourite Saints and especially, St Paul. "For the Saints are sent to us by God as so many sermons. We do not use them, it is they who move us and lead us, to where we had not expected to go.” Charles Cardinal Journet (1891-1975) This site adheres to the pre-Vatican II Catholic Church and all her teachings. . PLEASE ADVISE ME OF ANY GLARING TYPOS etc - In June 2021 I lost 100% sight in my left eye and sometimes miss errors. Thank you and I pray all those who visit here will be abundantly blessed. Pax et bonum! View All Posts

SOURCE https://anastpaul.com/2023/02/10/saint-of-the-day-10-february-blessed-hugh-of-fosse-opraem-c1093-1164-priest-abbot/



Beato Ugo di Fosses Abate

Festa: 10 febbraio

† 10 febbraio 1164

Canonico di Fosses in Belgio, cappellano del vescovo di Cambrai e portato alla vita apostolica, incontrò S. Norberto a Valenciennes. Quando Norberto fu fatto arcivescovo di Magdeburgo, Ugo fu eletto abate di Prémontré. Accrebbe di molto il monastero e lo costruì nuovamente. Istituì il Capitolo Generale degli abati per conservare l'unità. Si dedicò totalmente al governo del giovane Ordine in pieno sviluppo. Mite ed umile di cuore, fermo nelle decisioni e negli ideali. Morì nell'anno 1164 e fu sepolto nella chiesa di Prémontré.

Martirologio Romano: Nel monastero premostratense di Fosses vicino a Namur in Lotaringia, nell’odierno Belgio, beato Ugo, abate, a cui il maestro san Norberto, divenuto vescovo di Magdeburgo, affidò la rifondazione dell’Ordine, che egli resse con grande saggezza per trentacinque anni.

Nacque in Belgio, a Fosses-la-Ville, intorno al 1093. Entrò nell'ordine premostratense, fondato da san Norberto, e ne divenne il primo abate generale dopo la morte del santo.

Ugo fu un uomo di grande saggezza e sapienza. Si dedicò con passione al governo dell'ordine, che sotto la sua guida si diffuse rapidamente in tutta Europa. Fu anche un uomo di grande carità e compassione, che si impegnò per aiutare i bisognosi e i poveri.

La vita

Ugo nacque in una famiglia benestante. Sin da giovane, sentì il desiderio di dedicarsi alla vita religiosa. Entrò nell'ordine premostratense e fu ordinato sacerdote.

Nel 1116, Ugo incontrò san Norberto, che era un predicatore itinerante. Ugo fu profondamente colpito dalla predicazione di Norberto e decise di seguirlo. Insieme, fondarono il monastero di Prémontré, in Francia.

Nel 1126, Norberto fu nominato arcivescovo di Magdeburgo. Ugo fu eletto abate di Prémontré e gli fu affidato il governo dell'ordine.

Ugo morì il 10 febbraio 1164. Fu sepolto nella chiesa di Prémontré.

Il governo dell'ordine

Ugo governò l'ordine per 35 anni. Durante questo periodo, l'ordine si diffuse rapidamente in tutta Europa. Ugo fondò numerosi monasteri e organizzò l'ordine in modo efficiente.

Fu un uomo di grande saggezza e sapienza. Era un uomo di preghiera e di meditazione, e la sua spiritualità era profondamente radicata nella Bibbia.

Ugo fu anche un uomo di grande carità e compassione. Si impegnò per aiutare i bisognosi e i poveri. Fondò ospedali e scuole e si dedicò all'assistenza ai pellegrini.

Autore: Franco Dieghi

SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/40410

Den salige Hugo av Fosses (~1093-1164)

Minnedag:

10. februar

Den salige Hugo (fr: Hugues) ble født rundt 1093 i Fosses (Fosses-la-ville) mellom Charleroi og Namur, sørøst for Brussel i provinsen Namur i Vallonia i det nåværende Belgia. Fosses lå den gangen i fyrstebispedømmet Liège. Han kalles Hugo av Fosses, Hugo av Cambrai-Fosses, Hugo Fossensis eller Hugo av Prémontré. Lite er kjent om hans tidlige år, men han ble tidlig foreldreløs og fikk sin utdannelse i skolen i det berømte benediktinerklosteret Saint-Feuillien i Fosses. Allerede som ung mann ble han presteviet. Han ble først medlem av kollegiatskapitlet i sin hjemby og deretter hoffkapellan og sekretær for erkebiskop Burchard av Cambrai (tidligere stavet Cambray).

Erkebiskop Burchard var en venn av den hellige Norbert av Xanten (ca 1080-1134), som da fortsatt var en vandrerpredikant som gikk omkring barføtt og kledd som en botgjører. Hugo reiste sammen med erkebiskopen da de den 26. mars 1119 uventet traff Norbert i Valenciennes. Hugo ble så imponert over Norbert og hans apostoliske levemåte at han valgte å følge ham som hans første disippel. Mellom dem utviklet det seg et nært vennskap og et spesielt fortrolig forhold, og Hugo ble Norberts mest betrodde medarbeider. Hugo avslo et tilbud fra kong Ludvig VI (1108-37) om bispedømmet Chartres og valgte heller å følge Norbert på hans prekenmisjoner i grevskapene Hainaut/Henegouwen (Hennegau; lat: Hannonia; eng: Hainault) og Brabant.

På konsilet i Reims i 1119 bestemte den nye paven Callistus II (1119-24) at Norbert skulle underlegges et bispedømme, og han ba sin nevø, biskop Bartolomeus de Joux av Laon, om å ta ham under sin beskyttelse. Dette førte til at Hugo igjen sluttet seg til erkebiskop Burchard av Cambrai. Biskopen av Laon ba Norbert om å reformere en kommunitet av kanniker ved å gi dem en regel, og dette førte til at han i 1120 grunnla et samfunn av regelbundne kanniker i den avsidesliggende Coucy-skogen i Prémontré-dalen nær Laon (i dag skogen Saint-Gobain i Aisne) sammen med tretten disipler, blant dem Hugo, som igjen hadde sluttet seg til ham. Stedet ble valgt av Hugo, noe som i begynnelsen møtte sterk motstand fra andre av Norberts medarbeidere.

Juledag 1121 avla de sine løfter etter den hellige Augustins regel med visse skjerpende bestemmelser – regelen var i hovedsak Hugos verk. Fra en meget beskjeden begynnelse utviklet det seg hurtig en orden med andre abbedier og priorater. Den ble kalt premonstratenserordenen (Candidus et Canonicus Ordo Praemonstratensis – OPraem) eller norbertinerne etter sin grunnlegger eller Hvite kanniker etter fargen på ordensdrakten.

Ordenens andre grunnleggelse var klosteret Floreffe nær Namur i Vallonia i dagens Belgia. På en reise til Namur i 1121 mottok Norbert et rikt utstyrt gods fra Ermesinde, hustru av grev Godfred I av Namur, som den 27. november 1121 ble til klosteret Floreffe. Det er ikke urimelig å tenke seg at Hugo ikke var fremmed for denne grunnleggelsen så nær hans hjemsted. Som noen av de første premonstratensiske abbediene var Saint-Martin i Laon, Cuissy og Floreffe blant ordenens Primarii inter pares, eller seniorhus.

Norbert ble ofte utkalt på ulike apostoliske oppdrag, og administrasjonen av moderhuset falt mer og mer på Hugo, som ble husets første prior. Han virkeliggjorde og spredte mange av Norberts ideer. Etter at Norbert i 1126 var blitt erkebiskop av Magdeburg, var han enda mer borte, nå også på politiske oppdrag i tillegg til de apostoliske. To år senere, i 1128, ble Hugo etter Norberts forslag enstemmig valgt til abbed i Prémontré, og dette valget ble stadfestet av biskopen av Laon. Han bygde klosteret og klosterkirken. Som abbed undertegnet Hugo aldri med tittelen «abbed», men bare som «Guds og Norberts tjener», et tegn på hans store ydmykhet.

Etter at Norbert døde i 1134, ble Hugo valgt til ordenens generalabbed. I 35 år ledet han ordenen, og kan med stor rett anses som dens andre grunnlegger. Under hans ledelse spredte ordenen seg raskt, og snart fantes det 120 klostre. For å kunne bevare enheten blant Norberts utallige grunnleggelser kalte Hugo superiorene for de ulike husene sammen til et møte, og fra dette utviklet ordenens generalkapittel seg. Takket være Hugo ble det skapt en organisasjonsstruktur som gjorde det mulig for ordenen å vare i mange århundrer, og han spilte en avgjørende rolle i den indre styrking og den raske veksten av ordenen. Han sto også bak viktige tidlige reformer som separasjonen av klostrene for kanniker og kanonisser.

Sannsynligvis er Hugo identisk med den H. Farsitus som skrev De miraculus b. Mariae Suessionensis. Han samlet også den første seremoniboken med ordenens liturgiske direktiver, Liber caeremoniarum OPraem, og skrev ordenens konstitusjoner, Constitutiones OPraem. Det er også trolig at han skrev den biografien om Norbert som i dag er kjent som Vita Norberti B.

Hugos suksess synes å ha kommet til tross for et visst oppfarende temperament og noe intolerant karakter. Han beklaget seg en gang til den hellige Bernhard av Clairvaux – som selv knapt var den mest tålmodige eller tolerante mann man kjenner – og det fikk Bernhard til å skrive et heftig svarbrev, som er bevart. Vi vet ikke om Hugo svarte på brevet; noe slikt brev er i alle fall ikke bevart.

Hugo av Fosses døde den 10. februar 1164 i Prémontré, rundt 71 år gammel og etter 38 år som klosterets superior. Han ble gravlagt foran Andreas-alteret i klosterkirken. I 1279 ble hans jordiske rester flyttet til en ny grav foran høyalteret av generalabbed Egidius av Biervliet. Generalabbed Lescellier ga ham en verdigere sarkofag i 1660. Etter at Prémontré ble stengt i 1790 under Den franske revolusjon, ble Hugos relikvier overført til kirken i Bassoles, hvor de var gjemt mellom 1794 og 1896.

Deretter ble relikviene mellom 1896 og 1910 oppbevart i katedralen i Laon, og derfra ble de brakt til sakristiet i kirken i Brancourt-et-Bassoles. Denne kirken ble antent og stygt skadet under bombardementet i Første verdenskrig (1914-18), men relikviene ble funnet uskadet under ruinene av biskop Thomas-Louis Heylen av Namur, som selv var premonstratenser. Etter krigen ba biskopen av Soissons prior Franken av Bois-Seigneur-Isaac om å ta relikviene under sin beskyttelse. I 1922 ble Hugos relikvier høytidelig overført til Bois-Seigneur-Isaac, hvor de fortsatt hviler.

Hugo ble ikke offisielt saligkåret på mange århundrer, men hans kult i ordenen vokste, og han ble endelig formelt saligkåret den 13. juli 1927 ved at hans kult ble stadfestet av pave Pius XI (1922-39). Hans minnedag er dødsdagen 10. februar.

Kilder: Attwater/Cumming, Butler (II), Benedictines, Schauber/Schindler, Index99, KIR, Patron Saints SQPN, Infocatho, Bautz, Heiligenlexikon, fr.wikipedia.org, premontre.org, praemonstratensis.co.uk, postulatio.info, norbertinevocations.wordpress.com, canonline.org - Kompilasjon og oversettelse: p. Per Einar Odden - Opprettet: 2000-09-01 00:16 - - Sist oppdatert: 2009-03-20 23:15

SOURCE : https://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/hfosses

Hugo van Fosses o.praem., Prémontré, Frankrijk; abt; † 1164.

Feest 10 februari.

Hugo werd geboren in het plaatsje Fosses niet ver van Namen in de Belgische Ardennen. Na zijn priesterwijding voegde hij zich in 1119 bij Norbertus († 1134; feest 6 juni). Deze was juist in het klooster van Prémontré een vernieuwingsbeweging begonnen, welke uiteindelijk zou leiden tot de naar het plaatsje genoemde orde der premonstratenzers. Hugo werd één van Norbertus' naaste medewerkers. Hij volgde Norbertus op als abt van het klooster en algemeen overste van de orde.

In 1896 werden zijn relieken overgebracht naar de kathedraal van Laon. Zijn verering werd kerkelijk goedgekeurd in 1927.

Bronnen

[Cal.0000; EnE.1951»Hugh; Kib.1990; Rge.1989»Hugh; Rgf.1991»Hugues; S&S.1989; S&S.1994; Süt.1941; Dries van den Akker s.j./2007.12.11]

© A. van den Akker s.j. / A.W. Gerritsen

SOURCE : https://heiligen-3s.nl/heiligen/02/10/02-10-1164-hugo.php

 Lavalleye J. « H. Lamy. Vie du bienheureux Hugues de Fosses, premier abbé de Prémontré » [compte-rendu], Revue belge de Philologie et d'Histoire  Année 1927  6-1-2  pp. 389-390 https://www.persee.fr/doc/rbph_0035-0818_1927_num_6_1_6447_t1_0389_0000_2

mardi 3 février 2026

Bienheureux JUSTO TAKAYAMA UKON, père de faille et martyr, le « samourai du Christ »

Statue en bronze de Ukon, musée des 26 martyrs, Nagasaki (Conférence épiscopale du Japon)


Bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon

Martyr japonais surnommé le 'samourai du Christ' (+ 1615)

Justo Takayama Ukon (高山右近), surnommé le 'samourai du Christ' béatifié le 7 février 2017 à Osaka au Japon.

L'évangile, apporté par saint François-Xavier en 1549, s'est répandu au Japon et, en une quarantaine d'années, eut plus de 300 000 fidèles. Mais, en 1587, le puissant Toyotomi Hideyosh mena une persécution de plus en plus dure contre le christianisme. Plus de 20 000 chrétiens furent martyrisés...

Justo Takayama Ukon, seigneur féodal typique de cette période, baptisé par les missionnaires jésuites, avait construit les fondations de l'Eglise et était très actif dans les dernières guerres civiles japonaises. Ukon ayant refusé de renoncer à sa Foi, fut déchu de son rang et attaqué sur ses terres; en 1614, il  fut exilé vers les Philippines avec 300 chrétiens. Il tomba gravement malade et y mourut le 3 février 1615.

Depuis, sa réputation de sainteté s'étend et l'Eglise catholique au Japon avec l'Eglise catholique aux Philippines poursuivent son dossier de canonisation...

Illustration: statue en bronze de Ukon, musée des 26 martyrs, Nagasaki (Conférence épiscopale du Japon)

- Le Pape autorise de nouvelles béatifications et canonisations, le 22 janvier 2016, promulgation du décret (en italien): le martyre d'un samouraï japonais converti au christianisme a été reconnu par le Pape François. Pour rester fidèle à sa religion, Justo Takayama Ukon préféra renoncer à sa terre et à ses propriétés. Expulsé du Japon en 1614, à la suite de l'interdiction du christianisme, il se réfugia à Manille avec 300 chrétiens japonais, mais mourut peu après de maladie.

- ...les missionnaires ont reconnu l'impact positif de la voie du thé sur le développement spirituel des chrétiens japonais, tels Justo Takayama Ukon (1552-1615), qui fut aussi un célèbre maître de thé... le cas de Takayama Ukon indique clairement que le chrétien japonais et maître de thé a utilisé sa maison de thé pour des exercices spirituels. Nonobstant son origine Zen, c'est l'intégration radicale et l'ouverture spirituelle inhérente à la cérémonie du thé qui ont aidé les chrétiens japonais à progresser dans la contemplation et à trouver la paix dans l'accueil japonais du christianisme établi dans le monde du thé...

Au Japon, la cérémonie du thé comme espace de dialogue interreligieux par Naoko Frances Hioki (Pax Christi FranceJusto Takayama Ukon, maître de thé chrétien, document pdf

En anglais:

A man who walked the path of obedience 'un homme qui suivit la route de la fidélité', Justo Takayama Ukon (Conférence épiscopale du Japon)

Feast day of Japanese martyr, Blessed Takayama 'fête du martyr japonais, le bienheureux Takayama' (Conférence épiscopale des Philippines)

- Cathédrale-Basilique de Manille, messe pour le 400e anniversaire de la mort du serviteur de Dieu Justo Takayama Ukon, février 2015.

Blessed Takayama Ukon

SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/13065/Bienheureux-Justo-Takayama-Ukon.html

Justo Takayama Ukon, un samouraï bientôt canonisé ?

J-P Mauro - La rédaction d'Aleteia - publié le 14/01/24

Le Vatican poursuit son enquête sur les miracles associés à l’intercession du japonais Justo Takayama Ukon (1552-1615). Béatifié par le pape François en 2017, ce guerrier japonais a été reconnu pour ses vertus héroïques et sa fidélité au Christ et pourrait bientôt être canonisé.

Le 18 décembre dernier, le cardinal japonais Maeda, archevêque d’Osaka, a rappelé que le Vatican avait lancé une enquête sur les miracles attribués à l'intercession du bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon. Lors de la messe à la cathédrale de Manille, aux Philippines, là où le bienheureux est enterré, Monseigneur Maeda a déclaré : « Nous prions pour que l’enquête sur les miracles d’Ukon soit achevée et approuvée au moins d’ici un ou deux ans ». Une canonisation très attendue par les évêques et les chrétiens japonais. 

Le bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon

Takayama naît dans une famille riche et noble du Japon en 1552. Son père, longtemps hostile à la foi chrétienne, se convertit grâce à un disciple de saint François-Xavier. Takayama, âgé de douze ans, se convertit également. Des années plus tard, devenus d’importants samouraï (guerriers japonais de la société féodale) et d’importants daimyo (gouverneurs) d’un territoire au nord d’Osaka, ils utilisent leur pouvoir et leur influence pour protéger et soutenir les missionnaires venus évangéliser au Japon.  Ainsi, ils contribuent à leur tour à la réussite de la mission commencée dans l’archipel par saint François-Xavier en 1549, qui suscite en une quarantaine d’années la conversion au christianisme de 300.000 japonais.

Cependant en 1587, le chef de guerre Toyotomi Hideyoshi interdit le christianisme et expulse tous les missionnaires jésuites. Il mène ensuite de violentes persécutions contre les chrétiens et exige que les daimyo et les samouraï convertis renoncent à leur nouvelle foi. Parmi eux, Takayama Ukon est l’un des rares à rester fidèle au Christ. Pour cela, il perd ses terres, ses biens et son rang. Pendant plusieurs années, il vit sous la protection de ses amis mais en 1614, il est expulsé du Japon et arrive à Manille aux Philippines, en compagnie de 300 chrétiens. Son exil ne dure que 40 jours puisque, très affaibli par les mauvais traitements subis sur sa terre natale, il  tombe gravement malade et meurt.Très vite, en 1634, Justo Takayama Ukon est déclaré « serviteur de Dieu ». Ces dernières années, le pape François lui a consacré un intérêt particulier puisqu’en 2016, il l’a reconnu « martyr » pour être mort en exil pour sa foi, puis a proclamé sa béatification en 2017 et pourrait bientôt le canoniser. Si l'enquête du Vatican faisait avancer sa cause, Justo Takayama Ukon deviendrait ainsi le 43ème saint catholique du Japon et le premier samouraï canonisé.

SOURCE : https://fr.aleteia.org/2024/01/14/justo-takayama-ukon-un-samourai-japonais-bientot-canonise/

Bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon : vie, martyre et prière

Bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon était un samouraï japonais du XVIème siècle, converti au christianisme. Victime des persécutions menées contre les chrétiens, Justo est considéré comme un martyr et bienheureux par l’Église catholique. Il est célébré le 4 février et avait été béatifié le 7 février 2017 à Osaka.

Biographie du bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon

Justo Takayama est né en 1552 à Haibara, dans la province de Yamato, au Japon. On lui donne alors le prénom de Hikogoro. Dès sa naissance, il est destiné à succéder à Takayama Tomoteru, seigneur du château de Sawa. En 1564, alors que Hikogoro est âgé de douze ans, son père se convertit au catholicisme et fait baptiser son fils par des missionnaires jésuites. Hikogoro devient Justo. Après sa seijin shiki (cérémonie japonaise de passage à l’âge adulte), il est appelé “Shigetomo”, mais est plus connu sous le nom de Takayama Ukon. Le terme de Ukon vient du poste gouvernemental d’officier d’Ukonoefu auquel il prétend, pratique alors courante chez les samouraïs.

En tant que daimyos (titre de noblesse japonais), Justo et son père se battent pour conquérir de nouveaux châteaux. C’est ainsi qu’ils conquièrent du château de Takatsuki, près d’Osaka. Père et fils dominent totalement la région de Takatsuki. Ils exercent leur politique en tant que daimyos kirishitan (daimyo chrétien). C’est ainsi que progressivement, d’autres samouraïs se convertissent sous leur influence. On estime à plusieurs milliers le nombre de personnes s’étant convertis grâce à Justo et son père. 

Cependant, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, un des “trois unificateurs” du Japon et général régnant sur le pays, est parfaitement opposé au christianisme. En 1587, il ordonne alors l’expulsion de tous les missionnaires. De nombreux daimyos obéissent à cet ordre et rejettent leur foi en Jésus Christ. Toutefois, Justo ne se plie pas à cet ordre et réaffirme sa fidélité et son amour pour le catholicisme. Il préfère renoncer à sa terre et sa propriété plutôt que de renier sa foi. 

Pendant plusieurs décennies, Justo vit sous la protection de ses amis. Plus de 20 000 chrétiens sont martyrisés pendant cette période.

En 1614, le christianisme est définitivement interdit par Tokugawa Ieyasu, le shogun (haut général) de l’époque. On ordonne alors à Justo de quitter le pays. Le 8 novembre 1614, il est expulsé en compagnie de 300 chrétiens japonais. Il embarque à Nagasaki et débarque à Manille le 21 décembre suivant. Il y est chaleureusement accueilli par les prêtres jésuites espagnols et par les Philippins. 

Justo Takayama Ukon tombe malade et meurt seulement quarante jours après son arrivée, le 4 février 1615, à Manille, âgé d’environ 62 ans. 

Celui qui a été surnommé le “samouraï du Christ” est enterré dans une sépulture chrétienne, avec les honneurs militaires en tant que daimyo. Il est d’ailleurs le premier daimyo enterré aux Philippines.

Un samouraï bientôt canonisé ?

Le 22 janvier 2016, le pape François avait autorisé la Congrégation pour la cause des saints à publier un décret reconnaissant son martyre. Il avait ainsi pu être béatifié en 2017 par le cardinal Angelo Amato, au Japon. Depuis, le Vatican poursuit son enquête sur les miracles associés à l’intercession du bienheureux martyr japonais : « Nous prions pour que l’enquête sur les miracles d’Ukon soit achevée et approuvée au moins d’ici un ou deux ans » a dit le cardinal japonais Maeda, archevêque d’Osaka. 

Il deviendrait le premier samouraï canonisé et le 43ème saint du Japon.

Prier avec le bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon

“Seigneur, encourage-nous à marcher à ta suite.

Le Bienheureux Justus Takayama n’a pas hésité à se dépouiller pour te rester fidèle.

Aide-moi comme lui à ne pas te renier,

à savoir identifier en moi ce qui fait obstacle à ton annonce.”

Prière pour être missionnaire du Christ comme Justo Takayama Ukon

“Dieu notre Père, ton Fils Unique Jésus-Christ ressuscité d’entre les morts a confié à ses disciples sa mission : « Allez ! De toutes les nations faites des disciples ». (Mt 28,19)

Tu nous rappelles que par le baptême nous participons tous à la mission de l’Église.
Par le don de Ton Esprit-Saint, accorde-nous la grâce d’être témoins de l’Évangile, courageux et ardents, pour que la mission confiée à l’Église soit poursuivie en trouvant des expressions nouvelles et efficaces qui apportent la vie et la lumière au monde.

Aide-nous à faire en sorte que tous les peuples puissent rencontrer l’amour sauveur et la miséricorde de Jésus-Christ, notre Seigneur et notre Dieu, qui vit et règne avec Toi, dans l’unité du Saint-Esprit, maintenant et pour les siècles des siècles.

Amen.”

Continuez votre prière avec le bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon grâce à Hozana !

Inscrivez-vous gratuitement sur Hozana et retrouvez de nombreuses communautés de prières autour des saints, ainsi qu’un court podcast quotidien proposé par RCF sur le saint du jour !

Priez avec les grands saints morts en martyrs comme le bienheureux Justo Takayama Ukon.

Découvrez la vie formidable des parents de sainte Thérèse de Lisieux, Louis et Zélie Martin, le premier couple à avoir été canonisé !

Sources et bibliographie

https://histoiredujapon.com/2024/02/28/samurai-saint-takayama-ukon/

https://fr.aleteia.org/2024/01/14/justo-takayama-ukon-un-samourai-japonais-bientot-canonise/

https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/13065/Bienheureux-Justo-Takayama-Ukon.html

https://missionsetrangeres.com/eglises-asie/le-cardinal-maeda-espere-la-canonisation-prochaine-du-samourai-du-christ-le-bienheureux-justo-takayama-ukon/

SOURCE : https://hozana.org/saints/martyr/bienheureux-justo-takayama-ukon


Blessed Iustus Takayama Ukon

Also known as

Hikogoro Shigetomo

Takayama Ukon

Memorial

3 February

Profile

Born to a family of wealthy land owners in feudal Japan. After learning of Christianity from Jesuit missionaries, he converted at age 12. Marriedlayman, and a samurai. When Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi banned Christianity, Takayama refused to give up his faith, lost all his lands, assets, rank and power, and was exiled to the Philippines in 1614 when all Christians were ordered deported. Takayama chose his faith over his career, his position and his wealth. Though he died of natural causes, because he contracted the fatal illness due to choosing his faith over the world, he is considered a martyr.

Born

c.1552 in Haibara-cho, Nara, Japan

Died

3 February 1615 in Manila, Philippines of natural causes

Venerated

21 January 2016 by Pope Francis (decree of martyrdom)

Beatified

7 February 2017 by Pope Francis

recognition celebrated at the Oskaka-jo Hall, Kyobashi, Osaka, Japan, presided by Cardinal Angelo Amato

Additional Information

other sites in english

Eurasia Review

Hagiography Circle

Japan Times

Lord Takayama Jubilee Foundation

Vatican News Service

Vatican Radio

Wikipedia

images

Wikimedia Commons

video

YouTube PlayList

fonti in italiano

Santi e Beati

MLA Citation

“Blessed Iustus Takayama Ukon“. CatholicSaints.Info. 16 January 2023. Web. 2 February 2026. <https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-iustus-takayama-ukon/>

SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-iustus-takayama-ukon/

Pope Francis approves decrees for miracles, martyrdom

2016-01-22 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday evening authorized the promulgation of several decrees from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Three Blesseds have had the way opened to canonization after miracles attributed to their intercession have been approved, while 5 decrees (2 miracles, 3 of martyrdom) have opened to way to beatification for 7 people.

In addition, two decrees of heroic virtue were approved.

Here is a full list of the decrees promulgated

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blessed Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczyński, O.I.C., Founder of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary; born 18 May 1631 in Podegrodzie, Poland, and died 17 September 1701 in Góra Kalwaria;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blessed Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero, Diocesan priest; born  16 March 1840 in Córdoba, Argentina, and died 26 January 1914 in Córdoba, Argentina;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blessed Blessed José Luis Sánchez del Río, layperson, martyr; born 28 March 1913 in Sahuayo, Mexico, and died 10 February 1928 in Sahuayo, Mexico;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Francesco Maria Greco, diocesan priest, founder of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Sacred Hearts; born 27 July 1857 in Acri, Italy, and died 13 January 1931 in Acri, Italy;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Elisabetta Sanna, laywoman, widow, professed member of the Third Order of St Francis and member of the Union of Catholic Apostolate founded by St Vincent Pallotti; ; born 23 April 1788 in Codrongianos, Sardinia,  and died 17 February 1857 in Rome;

- the martyrdom of the Venerable Servant of God Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig CMM (born Hubert), professed preist of the Congregation of the Mariannhill Mission Society, born 1 March 1911 in Greifendorf, Czech Republic (formerly Austria-Hungary), killed in hatred of the Faith on 2 March 1945;

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God Genaro Fueyo Castañón, diocesan priest, and three lay companions, killed in hatred of the Faith in 1936 in Spain;

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God Justo Takayama Ukon, layperson; born between 1552 and 1553 in Japan, and died from the hatred of the Faith on 3 February 1615 in Manila, Philippines;

- The heroic virtues of the Servant of God Arsenio da Trigolo (born Giuseppe Migliavacca), professed priest of the Order of Friar Minors Capuchin, Founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary the Consoler; born 13 June 1849 in Trigolo, Italy, and died 10 December 1909 in Bergamo, Italy;

- The heroic virtues of the Servant of God Maria Luisa del Santissimo Sacramento (al secolo: Maria Velotti), of the Third Order of Saint Francis, foundress of the Institue of the Adoration Sisters of the Holy Cross; born 16 November 1826 in Naples, Italy, and died 3 September 1886 in Casoria, Italy.

(from Vatican Radio)

SOURCE : https://web.archive.org/web/20160308024616/http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-approves-decrees-for-miracles-martyrd

Pope approves beatification of warlord Takayama Ukon

JIJI

Jan 23, 2016

BERLIN – Pope Francis has approved the beatification of Takayama Ukon, a Christian warlord who was ousted from Japan in the early 17th century, the Vatican said Friday.

Takayama, born in 1552, was baptized at the age of 12. Following the Tokugawa feudal government’s ban on Christianity, he was exiled to Manila in 1614 and died of disease the following year.

The approval of Takayama as beatus, or blessed, the stage below a saint, followed a campaign by Catholics in Japan for his beatification that grew active because last year was the 400th year since his death.

His beatification ceremony is expected to be held in Japan.

Following the announcement, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan issued a statement saying that the way he lived serves as a light that still shines on people of the present time.

In 2007, 188 Japanese Christians, including Petro Kasui Kibe, who died from persecution by the Tokugawa government, were picked for beatification. Their ceremonies were held in Nagasaki in 2008.

SOURCE : https://web.archive.org/web/20170401163001/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/01/23/national/social-issues/pope-approves-beatification-warlord-takayama-ukon/#.WN_VlHbP32c

Beatification Of ‘Samurai Of Christ’ To Be Held Feb. 7

 January 31, 2017  0 Comments

By UCA News

The Catholic Church will hold a ceremony for the beatification of Justo Takayama Ukon (1552-1615), known as the ‘Samurai of Christ’, in Osaka on Feb.7.

Born into a family of landowners, Ukon converted to Christianity at the age of 12 after coming into contact with Jesuit missionaries.

When Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi took power and prohibited the practice of Christianity, Ukon refused to follow the great feudal lords and abandon his faith. He lost his properties, his position, his social status, honor and respectability and was eventually forced into exile. With 300 other Japanese Christians he fled to Manila where, just 40 days after his arrival, he fell ill and died on Feb. 4, 1615.

Pope Francis signed a decree for his beatification in January last year. Cardinal Angelo Amato will preside over the rite next month, according to Agenzia Fides.

The news comes as the Martin Scorsese film Silence — which tells the story of Christian martyrs in Japan in the 16th century — hits screens all over the world. The film, which stars Liam Neeson, is based on a 1966 novel by Shusaku Endo.

SOURCE : https://www.eurasiareview.com/31012017-beatification-of-samurai-of-christ-to-be-held-feb-7/

2017-02-06 16:03:00

Catholic Samurai's beatification in Japan

A Japanese Catholic Samurai who died in the 17th century in exile, will be declared Blessed during a Mass in ‎Osaka on Tuesday. Pope Francis has sent Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Vatican’s ‎Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to preside over the Beatification Mass of  Justo Takayama Ukon.

Born into a family of landowners in 1552, Ukon converted to Christianity at the age of 12 after ‎coming ‎into contact with Jesuit missionaries.‎  When Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi took power and prohibited ‎the practice of Christianity, Ukon ‎refused to follow the great feudal lords and abandon his faith.  He ‎lost his properties, position, ‎social status, honor and respectability and was eventually forced into ‎exile. With 300 other Japanese ‎Christians he fled to Manila where, just 40 days after his arrival, he fell ‎ill and died on Feb. 4, 1615.‎  Pope Francis signed a decree on 21 January 2016 clearing Ukon’s way for Beatification as a martyr.

Speaking about the missionary zeal of Ukon, Card. Amato told Vatican Radio that he started seminaries in Azuchi, ‎Takatsuki and Osaka.with the purpose of training Japanese missionaries and catechists.  Among these seminarians, he said, were many martyrs, among them Jesuit St. Paul Miki.   Because of Ukon’s work, the number of Christians grew dramatically in the region he was active, and in 1583 there were as many as 25,000 of them out of a population of 30,000.  Ukon also found the Church in Osaka.  Between 1585 and 1587, some thousand faithful were baptized in Akashi.

Argentine Jesuit, ‎Father Renzo De Luca, the director of the 26 Martyrs Museum ‎in Nagasaki‎ said, "As a Christian, as a leader, as a cultural person, as a pioneer of adaptation, Ukon is a ‎role model and ‎there ‎are many things we can learn from him.”   “In this era of political distrust, I think he ‎will be helpful ‎for ‎people other than Christians," Fr. De ‎Luca said. 

SOURCE : https://www.archivioradiovaticana.va/storico/2017/02/06/catholic_samurais_beatification_in_japan/en-1290789

Japanese cardinal reveals Vatican probe into ‘miracles’ for Blessed Takayama Ukon’s sainthood

By Roy Lagarde

December 22, 2023

Manila, Philippines

A Japanese cardinal disclosed on Thursday in Manila that the Vatican has been investigating ‘miracles’ that could lead to the canonization of a 17th-century Catholic Samurai and martyr.

Cardinal Thomas Aquinas Manyo Maeda of Osaka did not provide further details but expressed hope that the investigation regarding the cause of Blessed Takayama Ukon will be completed soon.

“We pray that the investigation of Ukon’s miracles will be completed and approved at least within the next year or two,” Maeda said.

“We hope that we can pray and work together with the people of the Archdiocese of Manila, especially with the archbishop of Manila,” he said.

The 74-year-old spoke after a Mass presided over by Cardinal Jose Advincula at the Manila Cathedral, commemorating the 409th anniversary of Ukon’s arrival in the country.

Maeda was on a pilgrimage with 30 Japanese pilgrims, retracing the footsteps of the martyr in Manila.

In 1614, Ukon and 350 Catholics were exiled to Manila due to the Edo Shogunate’s ban on Christianity. He died in Intramuros after only 44 days, reportedly due to “a tropical ailment”.

He was initially proposed for sainthood by the Manila archdiocese in 1634, becoming the Philippine Church’s first “Servant of God.”

Mr. Ernesto de Pedro, an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Graduate School, was commissioned to study the cause after the petition for Takayama’s beatification was revived in 1986.

To ensure that the movement had firm foundations, he established the Lord Justus Takayama Professional Chair in Philippine-Japanese Studies at UST on Feb. 4, 1989.

In 2013, Japan’s Catholic bishops submitted a lengthy 400-page application to the Vatican for Ukon’s beatification as a martyr, emphasizing his abandonment of warlord status and sacrifice for his faith.

Ukon’s journey to canonization advanced when Pope Francis approved the decree of his martyrdom on Jan. 22, 2016. He was beatified during a Mass in Osaka on Feb. 7, 2017.

In 2018, the Manila City Council passed a resolution declaring December 21, every year, as “Blessed Takayama Ukon Day” in the nation’s capital.

The sainthood cause of Blessed Takayama Ukon is being promoted by several Catholic movements in various countries, among them the Manila-based “Prayer Warriors of Blessed Takayama”.

SOURCE : https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/japanese-cardinal-reveals-vatican-probe-into-miracles-for-blessed-takayama-ukons-sainthood/

Takayama Ukon

Born: 1552

Died: 1615

Title: U-Konoe

Japanese: 高山右近 (Takayama Ukon)

Takayama Ukon was born the son of Takayama Tomoteru (also known as Zusho; 1531-1596), a retainer of Matsunaga Hisahide who held Sawa Castle in northwest Yamato province.

Known in his childhood as Hikogoro, the future Ukon was given the name Shigetomo upon his coming of age[1]. Ukon’s father became a Christian 1564 and Ukon was baptized as ‘Justo’. Not long afterwards, in 1565, Matsunaga murdered the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and then became involved in a war with the Miyoshi. In the course of the feud, Sawa, Tomoteru’s castle, was lost, forcing the Takayama to flee. Through the good offices of Wada Koremasa, a friendly acquaintance of Tomoteru’s, the Takayama came under Oda Nobunaga’s banner and took up service with the Wada in 1568.

In 1571 the Wada came to blows with Araki Murashige (? –1579?), a powerful vassal of Ikeda Katsumasa (who in turn served the Miyoshi - Oda Nobunaga’s enemies). Murashige besieged Tomoteru’s castle, and Wada Koremasa came up to the front with a relief force. In the ensuing confrontation, Koremasa was killed. Murashige was nonetheless unable to bring the castle down and retreated, allowing Tomoteru to become advisor to Koremasa’s successor, Korenaga. Relations between the young lord and the Takayama were sour, and word came to Tomoteru that Korenaga plotted to have him and his son killed. Tomoteru decided to act fist. In April 1573 he called upon Korenaga and asked that he come and visit his home, where waited fifteen samurai, including Ukon. Korenaga arrived with an armed escort and in the ensuing melee the latter was killed. The Takayama took over Wada’s castle, Takatsuki, a move backed by the troops of Araki Murashige, whose support Tomoteru had gained prior to the assassination. As Murashige had just sided with Oda Nobunaga, this affair was not quite treason, rather being an internal matter which Nobunaga seems to have had no comment on[2].

The Takayama remained under the Araki’s influence until 1578, the year Murashige rebelled against Nobunaga. The reasons for Murashige’s revolt are unclear, though the suggestion has been made from time to time that Nobunaga distrusted the Araki and considered dispossessing them, intentions that reached Murashige’s ears. For Nobunaga, the rebellion could not have come at a worse time. He had just managed to complete his blockade of the Ishiyama Honganji; Murashige’s actions threatened to loosen the noose he had painstakingly set and also encourage dissension elsewhere.

Critical to Araki’s success were a number of castles that formed a perimeter around Itami, his headquarters. The most important of these included Ibaragi, held by Nakagawa Kiyohide (also known as Nakagawa Sebei1542-1583) and Takayama’s Takatsuki. Nobunaga had Takatsuki surrounded by the forces of Fuwa MitsuharuKanamori Nagachika and others, while calling for the Jesuit Padre Gnecchi-Soldo Organtino. Knowing the Takayama were devout Christians, Nobunaga asked the Padre to convince them to surrender, promising that such an outcome would benefit the Church. At the same time, he hinted that failure to submit would lead to an unfortunate persecution. Padre Organtino obligingly contacted Ukon and informed him of Nobunaga’s message, which the younger Takayama took to heart. Unwilling to allow harm to come to his religion, he abandoned Takatsuki in the night. His father was furious and went to Murashige to apologize (and, hopefully, save a number of hostages that had earlier been sent to the Araki)[3]. Murashige took no action against the remaining members of the Takayama, and in the end, released the Takayama hostages.

Nobunaga rewarded Ukon for his decision, especially after the latter was able to convince Nakagawa to open Ibaragi’s gates to the Oda. Both Ukon and Nakagwa kept their castles and Takayama set about converting the population in his fief. Many temples were reportedly torn down or converted to churches, an activity that could have hardly drawn less concern from Nobunaga, the destroyer of the Enryakuji. In June 1582 Nobunaga was killed by Akechi Mitsuhide in Kyoto. Toyotomi Hideyoshi hastily marched back from the western provinces on a campaign of vengeance, and in Settsu was joined by the Takayama and Nakagawa. In the ensuing Battle of Yamazaki, both men commanded troops in Hideyoshi’s vanguard and helped defeat Akechi Mitsuhide’s army[4].

After Hideyoshi’s triumph at Yamazaki, conflict broke out between the late Nobunaga’s senior retainers over the matter of succession. The tensions culminated in open warfare between faction led by Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie. In late 1582 Hideyoshi dispatched Takayama and Nakagawa to northern Omi and tasked them with holding two critical forts placed to block any movement from the Shibata down from Echizen. Takayama was given Iwasakiyama and, some miles to the south, Nakagawa was installed in Shizugatake. In early 1583 Katsuie dispatched an army under Sakuma Morimasa to capture these frontier forts, and in the course of the campaign Takayama was forced to abandon Iwasakiyama and take up in nearby Tagami [5]. Sakuma went on to besiege Shizugatake and killed Nakagawa, although he was unable to take the castle itself and in the end was defeated by Hideyoshi in battle.

Takayama went on to serve in Hideyoshi’s invasion of Shikoku (1584) and in 1585 was transferred to Akashi (Harima province, 60,000 koku). Once there, Ukon, as he had at Takatsuki, set about converting the population, an activity that enraged the local Buddhist monks but drew no immediate attention from Hideyoshi[6].

Takayama went on to serve in Hideyoshi’s invasion of Kyushu in 1587, but this campaign proved to be Takayama’s last. Hideyoshi had finished breaking the power of the armed monks (an effort Takayama had assisted him with in 1585-86) in the Yamato region; now the de facto ruler of Japan turned on Christianity. Takayama was known to be a dyed-in-the-wool Christian, and was therefore considered untrustworthy. Even before the Kyushu campaign had been wrapped up, Ukon was deprived of his fief and forced to find shelter under Konishi Yukinaga, a much more powerful Christian lord who was awarded a substantial fief in Hyuga. Ukon ended up wandering all the way to the Hokuriku region, where he sought service with the Maeda family in Kaga province. In 1588 Maeda Toshiie accepted him as a retainer, an interesting turnaround in Ukon’s career poorly explored by western historians. Over the next decade, Hideyoshi gradually stepped up a program of persecution against Christianity in Japan that was only temporarily halted by the Taiko’s death in 1598. The short respite was ended by a Tokugawa edict in 1614 that finally banned Christianity in its entirety, and ordered the expulsion of all missionaries and those samurai who refused to recant their faith.

Though Maeda Toshitsune feared Ukon would fight rather than leave the country, Takayama peacefully complied and on 8 November 1614 departed for Manila. He arrived later that month and was greeted warmly by the Jesuits there, but died of illness just 40 days afterwards.

Takayama Ukon was a rather controversial figure, considered by the Jesuits as a pillar of the Christian faith in Japan and by some Japanese (contemporary and modern) as a symbol of the duplicity and heavy-handedness of Christianity in the Sengoku era. At the time of Ukon’s transfer to Akashi some 18,000 of Takatsuki’s population (of 25,000) were said to have been Christian, an achievement much lauded by the Jesuits and scorned by many Japanese as proof of forced conversion. Additionally, Ukon’s betrayal of both Wada Korenaga and Araki Murashige were looked down upon, to say nothing of his questionable conduct at Shizugatake. Conversely, Takayama fought gallantly at Yamazaki and was a noted tea man, practicing that art with Sen no Rikyu as Minami no Bo. He was also supposed to have converted Kuroda Kanbei to Christianity and been respected by as many of his contemporaries as not, as his admittance into the service of the Maeda would seem to indicate. Takayama Ukon Shigetomo, whether considered a conniver or saint, provides an interesting case study of the rise and fall of a Sengoku warrior.

Notes on the Text

 'Ukon' was in fact part of an honorific title he received later in life; as he is best known as Takayama Ukon, this name will be used for the remained of the text.

 Nobunaga was rather distracted at this time with affairs in Kyoto and elsewhere; additionally, as the Wada had come into his service as a result of championing Ashikaga Yoshiaki, he was possibly not sorry to see them go. This was the same year Nobunaga banished Yoshiaki and brought the Ashikaga shogunate to an end.

 Little further mention is made in most histories of Takayama Tomoteru, who is also known by his Christian name, Darie. He evidently gave up his Christian faith and retired, passing away around 1596.

 It may be of some interest to note that later, during Nobunaga's funeral, Takayama refused to light incense at his mortuary alter or say traditional Buddhist prayers (due to Christian beliefs). This does not appear to have sat so well with Hideyoshi, and may have gone some way towards fostering disquiet between the two men.

 Takayama is traditionally accused of cowardice during this action in arguably biased Japanese histories, an accusation difficult to substantiate one way or the other. It seems that had Takayama been guilty of blatant cowardice, Hideyoshi might have taken serious issue with him (as he would later with Otomo Yoshimune and others who broke before the enemy). In fact, Takayama's defeat further drew Sakuma Morimasa's neck out, much to Hideyoshi's benefit-a fact which, on the same token, may have spared Takayama a certain amount of disgrace. Tagami, incidentally, was held by Hashiba Hidenaga, Hideyoshi's half brother.

 It remains a point of debate as to whether or not Takayama engaged in forced conversions at either Takatsuki or Akashi-if not both locations.

References

Initial text from Samurai-Archives.com FWSeal & CEWest, 2005

SOURCE : https://web.archive.org/web/20171018155325/http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Takayama_Ukon

Beato Giusto Takayama Ukon Padre di famiglia, martire

Festa: 4 febbraio

Haibara-cho, Giappone, 1552 circa – Manila, Filippine, 4 febbraio 1615

Takayama Ukon, figlio di un proprietario terriero convertito al cattolicesimo, venne a sua volta battezzato insieme ai membri della sua famiglia, all’età di dodici anni. Intraprese la carriera militare sulle orme paterne e, come lui, ebbe anche la carica di daimyō, ossia di signore feudale. Nel pieno dell’epoca Sengoku (“epoca degli Stati in guerra”) contribuì a diffondere la fede che gli era stata trasmessa e favorì la predicazione dei missionari. Sotto lo shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu fu costretto definitivamente all’esilio a Manila, nelle Filippine, dove sbarcò nel dicembre 1614 insieme a un gruppo di altri trecento fratelli nella fede. Provato dalle persecuzioni e dal viaggio, fu colto da violenti febbri e morì il 4 febbraio 1615, a circa 62 anni. È stato beatificato a Osaka il 7 febbraio 2017, sotto il pontificato di papa Francesco.

Figlio di un nobile convertito

Takayama Ukon (secondo l’uso giapponese, il cognome va prima del nome), noto anche come Hikogoro Shigetomo, nacque tra il 1552 e il 1553 nel castello di Takayama, nei pressi di Nara. Suo padre, Takayama Zusho (o Takayama Tomoteru), apparteneva alla nobiltà militare che all’epoca era spesso coinvolta nella varie guerre tra daimyō o signori feudali: infatti, dal 1538 in poi, militò come samurai al servizio del nobile Matsunaga Hisashide e divenne comandante del castello di Sawa.

In quel frangente, nel 1563, Zusho fu anche uno dei giudici incaricati di esaminare l’operato del gesuita padre Gaspar Vilela, che quattro anni addietro aveva fondato la prima missione cattolica a Kyoto, sede dell’imperatore. Il sacerdote rispose con tale fermezza alle accuse che venivano rivolte a lui e al catechista Lorenzo, suo fedele collaboratore, che il samurai rimase convinto che avesse ragione: riconobbe la serietà della dottrina cristiana e volle viverla in prima persona, ricevendo il Battesimo e cambiando nome in Dario.

Tanto fece e tanto disse che anche gli altri due giudici fecero lo stesso. Non solo: quando tornò al castello di Sawa, invitò il catechista Lorenzo a presentare la sua fede ai familiari. Nel 1563 furono quindi battezzati, oltre a molti soldati, la moglie del samurai e i loro sei figli; Ukon, che era il maggiore, ebbe il nome cristiano di Giusto.

A causa delle lotte militari tra i vari daimyō, anche i Takayama subirono un colpo notevole: dovettero abbandonare Sawa a causa dei nemici del nobile presso cui prestava servizio. Dario, quindi, si associò all’amico Wada Koremasa e al suo esercito. Con lui si mise all’opera perché i missionari cattolici potessero ritornare a Kyoto: il signore del luogo, Oda Nobunaga, acconsentì e protesse in seguito la piccola comunità cristiana.

Un duello che segna la vita

Quanto a Giusto, era ormai dell’età adatta per prendere le armi: nel 1571, ad esempio, partecipò a una battaglia vittoriosa e rilevante. Tuttavia, alla morte di Wada Koremasa, si sviluppò un contrasto col figlio di lui, Korenaga: i figli dei due amici dovettero scontrarsi in duello.

Giusto vinse, uccidendo l’avversario, ma lui stesso rimase ferito gravemente. Rimase a lungo tra la vita e la morte e, mentre si riprendeva, riconobbe di essersi curato poco della fede che gli era stata insegnata.
Due anni dopo, come ricompensa per i loro servigi, i Takayama ricevettero il feudo di Takatsuki, al cui comando passò Giusto perché il padre era ormai anziano. Venne per lui anche il tempo di formarsi una famiglia: nel 1574 sposò una cristiana, Giusta, dalla quale ebbe di certo tre figli maschi, due dei quali morti poco dopo la nascita, e una figlia.

Sotto la sua guida, Takatsuki divenne un importante centro di attività missionaria, dove i catecumeni potevano riunirsi in locali adatti e ricevere regolarmente l’istruzione catechistica da parte di sacerdoti e religiosi. Lui stesso approfondiva i contenuti del Vangelo e, ben presto, venne ritenuto esemplare dagli altri fratelli nella fede.

Una resa per non spargere sangue

Tuttavia, le questioni di guerra non erano ancora concluse. Nel 1578 il daimyō Araki Murashige si ribellò apertamente contro Oda Nobunaga e prese in pegno la sorella e il figlio di Giusto, il quale si trovò preso dai dubbi: sapeva che suo padre voleva restare fedele all’impegno con il nobile, ma intanto il rivale di lui si era accampato di fronte al castello di Takatsuki, domandandone la resa e minacciando di mettere in pericolo i credenti cristiani.

Pregò a lungo, poi prese la sua decisione: restituì i diritti feudali al padre e si consegnò inerme. Oda apprezzò il suo gesto e lo confermò come signore del luogo, ma esiliò Dario nella provincia settentrionale di Echizen (oggi prefettura di Fukui). Proprio per questo, l’anziano contribuì a diffondere il cristianesimo anche in quelle zone del Giappone.

Alle dipendenze degli shogun, portatore del Vangelo

Giusto, intanto, aveva fatto carriera alle dipendenze di Oda Nobunaga, diventando uno dei suoi primi generali. Proseguì anche nell’aiuto ai cristiani: ottenne la costruzione della prima chiesa di Kyoto (oggi non più esistente) e di un altro edificio sacro, insieme a un seminario, ad Azuchi, sul lago Biwa. Anche a Takatsuki il numero dei credenti aumentava di anno in anno.

Quando Oda Nobunaga fu assassinato da Akechi Mitsuhide, i generali che gli erano fedeli gli diedero battaglia, poi passarono al seguito di Toyotomi Hideyoshi, il nuovo shogun. Giusto ottenne presto di grandi stima e fiducia da parte di lui e poté ancora una volta agire per aiutare i cristiani, fruttando molte conversioni anche tra personalità di spicco. Nel 1585 lo shogun lo ricompensò con un nuovo feudo, quello di Akashi: anche lì la popolazione si accostò al cristianesimo.

In conflitto con Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Tuttavia, per vari fattori, a partire del 1587 Toyotomi Hideyoshi non fu più favorevole ai cristiani: ordinò l’espulsione di tutti i missionari e degli stranieri in genere e fece pressione sui nobili affinché tornassero alla religione dei loro antenati.

Toccò anche a Giusto: la notte del 24 luglio fu convocato dallo shogun, che gli manifestò il suo dispiacere perché aveva convertito molti signori feudali. Gli ordinò quindi di abbandonare la fede, pena l’esilio in Cina e l’esproprio dei suoi beni. Il daimyō rifiutò, dichiarando che per nulla al mondo avrebbe rigettato il Dio nel quale i missionari gli avevano insegnato a credere.

La rappacificazione

La sua pena fu quindi limitata alla perdita dei beni: insieme a tutta la famiglia, Giusto mendicò a lungo, finché non venne ospitato sull’isola di Shodoshima da un suo amico, Konishi Yukinaga.

Lo shogun, però, venne a sapere del suo nascondiglio e gli propose di essere reintegrato nel suo incarico, ma ottenne un nuovo rifiuto. Giusto fu quindi condotto prigioniero a Kanazawa, dove subì notevoli privazioni.

Alla fine, Toyotomi Hideyoshi gli assegnò una rendita annua, forse perché si era pentito, e nel 1592 si riappacificò con lui nel corso di una solenne cerimonia. Pur non reintegrato come daimyō, l’altro poté muoversi liberamente nell’arcipelago giapponese: contribuì quindi all’azione missionaria dei Gesuiti, ripresa nell’anno precedente alla rappacificazione.

La persecuzione sotto Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tuttavia, nel 1597, 26 cattolici, sia stranieri sia autoctoni, furono crocifissi sulla collina di Nagasaki e un nuovo editto bandì i cristiani dal Giappone. La morte improvvisa dello shogun sembrò aprire qualche speranza, ma il suo successore, Tokugawa Ieyasu, si sostituì gradualmente all’erede legittimo.

Dopo un’iniziale fase di accondiscendenza verso la religione cristiana, cominciò a proibire ai vari dignitari e nobili di ricevere il battesimo. Infine, nel 1614, emanò l’ordine di espulsione di tutti i missionari, col quale i cristiani giapponesi venivano obbligati a riprendere le usanze dei loro avi.

La prigionia, poi l’esilio

Giusto, che dopo le prime proibizioni si era trasferito a Kanazawa, fu subito raggiunto dall’ordinanza. Gli amici gli suggerivano di compiere degli atti di abiura formale, come calpestare le immagini sacre, ma lui rispondeva invariabilmente di essere consapevole di quale tesoro costituisse la religione cristiana e che, quindi, non dovevano fargli quella proposta neanche per scherzo.

Insieme ai suoi familiari, venne quindi condotto sotto scorta a Nagasaki, dove venivano radunati anche i missionari e i cristiani che non avevano abiurato. Trascorse sette mesi in attesa di morire da martire, ma l’8 novembre 1614 fu imbarcato, insieme a un gruppo di circa 300 cristiani, su una giunca che faceva vela verso Manila, nelle Filippine. Durante il viaggio fu capace di confortare gli altri, ammassati su quella piccola imbarcazione. Una volta sbarcato, ebbe un’accoglienza trionfale, da vero eroe della fede.

La morte

Tuttavia, appena quaranta giorni dopo, iniziò ad avere la febbre molto alta. Certo di essere alla fine della vita, fece chiamare il suo direttore spirituale, padre Morejón, e ricevette gli ultimi sacramenti. Incoraggiò ancora una volta quanti gli stavano attorno a perseverare nella fede e, infine, morì ripetendo il nome di Gesù. Era verso la mezzanotte del 3 febbraio 1615; Giusto aveva circa 62 anni.

Gli spagnoli, che al tempo governavano le Filippine e che gli avevano proposto di assisterli per abbattere lo shogun Tokugawa, ma ottennero il suo rifiuto, gli riservarono un funerale solenne con gli onori militari. Tempo dopo, in piazza Dilao a Manila, è stata posta una sua statua, nella quale veste gli abiti tipici del suo rango, ma alla katana (la spada tradizionale giapponese) che regge in mano è sovrapposto il Crocifisso.

Un percorso complicato verso la beatificazione

La Chiesa cattolica giapponese lo ha sempre considerato un autentico testimone della fede e ha più volte cercato di avviare il suo processo di beatificazione. Il primo tentativo rimonta già a pochi anni dalla sua morte, ad opera dei sacerdoti di Manila: tuttavia, la politica isolazionista sotto i Tokugawa impedì la raccolta delle prove documentali a riguardo. Nel 1965, poi, alcuni vizi di forma nelle fasi preliminari ne causarono l’arresto.

L’ultimo e più proficuo intervento in tal senso parte dall’ottobre 2012, monsignor Leone Jun Ikenaga, arcivescovo di Osaka e all’epoca presidente della Conferenza episcopale giapponese, ha consegnato a papa Benedetto XVI una lettera per chiedere l’esame della causa. L’agosto dell’anno successivo, la Conferenza episcopale del Giappone ha inviato alla Congregazione delle Cause dei Santi i documenti del processo.

Nel 2015 è stata quindi trasmessa la “Positio”: in essa Giusto Takayama figurava come martire, in quanto la sua morte appariva come conseguenza delle privazioni e dei maltrattamenti subiti in patria. Infine, il 20 gennaio 2016, papa Francesco ha autorizzato la promulgazione del decreto con cui effettivamente veniva riconosciuto il suo martirio.

La beatificazione

Il rito della beatificazione di Giusto Takayama si è svolto nella Osaka-jō Hall di Kyōbashi, presso Osaka, presieduto dal cardinal Angelo Amato come inviato del Santo Padre.

È la prima volta per un singolo candidato agli altari come martire originario del Giappone: questo Paese conta infatti già 42 Santi e 393 Beati, tutti martiri e uccisi in prevalenza durante il periodo Edo, ossia dal 1603 al 1867; sono tutti ricordati in gruppo.

Autore: Emilia Flocchini

SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/96314

Samurai et saint? Les différents visages de Takayama Ukon, 3 March 2025 : https://histoiredujapon.com/2024/02/28/samurai-saint-takayama-ukon/