Blessed Leonardo Kimura

Life story

Leonard Kimura was born in 1575 in Nagasaki, to a Catholic family that had moved there from elsewhere. His grandfather had been baptised by St. Francis Xavier at Hirado in 1550. He was a cousin of Sebastian Kimura. Before entering the Society he worked for fourteen years as a travelling catechist alongside Jesuit missionaries.

At twenty-seven he joined the Jesuits as a brother, working as cook, tailor and painter, and later returned to catechetical travel. After Christianity was banned in 1614 he stayed in Japan and lived as a fugitive for two years. He was captured on 16 December 1616 with a group of Christians. At trial he told the judge that he knew a Jesuit, but that this man was a brother, not a priest, and then identified himself as that brother.

He was held for almost three years with four lay companions, including his brother-in-law Andrew Tokuan. In prison he taught the jailers and other prisoners the basics of the faith; one source says ninety-six of them became Christians. In mid-November 1619 the governor condemned him to death by slow fire. He was tied to a stake on the execution hill outside Nagasaki, with firewood stacked so that it would burn slowly, and died on 18 November 1619. Pope Pius IX beatified him in 1867 with 205 other martyrs of Japan.

Works and witness

• Worked fourteen years as a travelling catechist before entering the Society
• Joined the Jesuits at twenty-seven as a brother
• Lived as a fugitive for two years after the 1614 ban
• Taught the faith to jailers and prisoners during almost three years in prison
• Burned slowly on 18 November 1619; beatified in 1867

Saints from the same country

The 26 Martyrs of Japan, Blessed Justo Takayama, Blessed 205 Martyrs of Japan, Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki

References

• Jesuits Global, 'Blessed Leonard Kimura' (jesuits.global/saint-blessed/blessed-leonard-kimura/)
• Jesuits Global, 'Blessed Sebastian Kimura' (cousin relationship)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.