Pedro Vásquez

Pedro Vásquez, OP, also known as Peter Vásquez, (1591 – 25 August 1624) was a

Because of the shortage of missionaries, Vásquez promptly started his mission work in the spring of 1622, once he educated himself with the language. On 14 August, he disguised himself as a Japanese guard, with a pair of swords slung at his side, he entered the prison of Nagasaki. He marched boldly through three sets of doors guarded by eight sentinels, without being discovered, to reach the imprisoned Christians and administer the Sacraments to them.[5] Two renounced Christians, whose confessions he heard, exposed Vásquez's cover. In spite of these traitors, he escaped detection. He continued the intense labor of preparing many Christians who, he believed, would be martyred before long.^[4] Vásquez and his fellow missionaries were able to witness the cruel executions. In early November 1622, he was appointed acting Vicar-Provincial. Before his arrest, Vásquez had been working with Domingo Castellet, ministering to the Christians in Arima, Ōmura, and Nagasaki.

During Holy Week, April 1623, Vásquez was in great danger of being arrested, but managed to evade capture. After his escape, he met Castellet in Fuchi before proceeding to Inasa, a village in the mountains, where he was unexpectedly arrested on 27 April. He was then taken to the courthouse for a hearing on the matter of his illegal activities. After the trial, he was sentenced to prison in Nagasaki. On 15 June 1623, he was transferred to prison in Ōmura. In the local prison, he joined

Vásquez was beatified by Pope Pius IX on 7 July 1867.^[3]. In the Roman Catholic Church, his feast day is celebrated on 25 August^[7], as well as 10 September, the anniversary of the massacre of 205 Japanese martyrs.

References