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 France) Justo 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.
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 !
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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
SOURCE : https://hozana.org/saints/martyr/bienheureux-justo-takayama-ukon
Also
known as
Hikogoro Shigetomo
Takayama Ukon
Profile
Born to a family of wealthy
land owners in feudal Japan.
After learning of Christianity from Jesuit missionaries,
he converted at
age 12. Married, layman,
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
3
February 1615 in
Manila, Philippines of
natural causes
21
January 2016 by Pope Francis (decree
of martyrdom)
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
Lord
Takayama Jubilee Foundation
images
video
fonti
in italiano
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.
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.
Beatification Of ‘Samurai
Of Christ’ To Be Held Feb. 7
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.
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”.
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 Sebei; 1542-1583) and Takayama’s Takatsuki. Nobunaga had Takatsuki
surrounded by the forces of Fuwa Mitsuharu, Kanamori 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
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/
