Born in Manila in 1594 to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, Lorenzo Ruiz grew up an ordinary Catholic. He served happily in his parish church as an altar boy and calligrapher. He became a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary and married a woman named Rosario. They had two sons and a daughter and were a happy, devout family.
 
Lorenzo’s peaceful life suddenly changed when he was accused of murder. Nothing further is known except the statement of two Dominicans that “he was sought by the authorities on account of a homicide to which he was present or which was attributed to him.” At that time, three Dominican priests, Antonio Gonzalez, Guillermo Courtet, and Miguel de Aozaraza, were about to sail to Japan in spite of a violent persecution there. With them was a Japanese priest, Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz, and a leper named Lazaro. Lorenzo, seeking safty from the law, decided to accompany them only to learn when they were at sea that they were going to Japan.

They set sail toward the city of Nagasaki which had once been home to over 50,000 Japanese Christians. The Tokugawa shogunate that now ruled Japan, however, had begun a persecution of Christians nearly unparalleled in cruelty, filling the land with martyrs and torturing others until they lost their minds.
 
Lorenzo and his companions were soon caught and imprisoned. When interrogated, the men agreed to leave Japan, but the shogunate didn’t want the missionaries to leave. It wanted to them renounce the faith, offering freedom if they did. The group was imprisoned for two years and tortured in clever, horrible ways.  Fr. Gonzales soon died and Fr. Shiwozuka and Lazaro nearly renounced Christ in sheer terror, but they soon were brought back by the courage of their companions.
 
In Lorenzo’s moment of crisis, he asked the interpreter, “I would like to know if, by apostatizing, they will spare my life.” The interpreter was noncommittal, but in the ensuing hours Lorenzo felt his faith grow strong. The five were put to death by being hanged upside down in pits. Boards fitted with semi-circular holes were fitted around their waists and stones put on top to increase the pressure. They were tightly bound, to slow circulation and prevent a speedy death. They were allowed to hang for three days. By that time Lorenzo and Lazaro were dead. Lorenzo's last words were, "I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God. Had I a thousand lives, all these to Him I shall offer. Do with me as you please." His traveling companions were all beheaded, steadfast in the Faith until the end.
 
This print is part of the "Happy Saint" collection by Anna Morelli.
 
The image is professionally printed, hand-signed by the artist, and comes enclosed in a plastic sleeve to ensure protection.