Who is the 'Samurai of Christ' the Japanese Church just beatified?

Justo Takayama Ukon was beatified February 7 in Japan.

Over 12,000 people crowded a Catholic church in Osaka, Japan. The special Mass celebrated the beatification ceremony for a Japanese Christian samurai who died in exile for his faith.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Justo Takayama Ukon is known as the "Samurai of Christ."

He was born into a position of wealth and some power but at only 12-years-old, a group of Jesuit missionaries changed his life forever.

He became a Christian and eventually married. The couple had three sons and a daughter and Ukon entered the military. He was an officer of Ukonoefu and fought alongside his father.

When Christianity became prohibited, Ukon continued to spread the Gospel and, as a result, lost his land, position, special status and honor in his community.

He became a wanderer and was eventually forced into exile. He fled Manila with 300 other Japanese Christians and eventually fell ill.

He passed away February 4, 1615 after spending much of his life spreading the Word of God.

According to Vatican Radio, the Japanese faithful proclaimed his sanctity in the seventeenth century but canonical investigators were unable to collect evidence to certify his holiness due to Japan's isolation policy.

In 1965, Japanese bishops took up his cause and found him to be worthy.

The solemn beatification ceremony was held February 7 conducted by Cardinal Angelo Amato, who represented Pope Francis.

His holiness signed a decree for the beatification for Ukon in January 2016 and the Japanese Church has been excitedly preparing ever since.

The event was broadcast on live TV in Japan, where thousands celebrated the event.

The logo chosen to beatify is of Sr. M. Esther Kitazume, the Sister of Disciples of the Divine Master. IT reproduces seven round stars of the Takayama family, with the cross and three rings int he background. Each star represents members of Ukon's family and also the seven sacraments and seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The cross is a sign of Ukon's offer of his life for faith.

The Samurai of Christ's story was told in a documentary titled "Ukon the Samurai: The Way of the Sword, the way of the cross."

The film was produced by the Pontifical Council for Culture, the collaboration of the Embassy of Japan to the Holy See, of the Bishops' Conference of Japan, of the Italian Jesuits, of the "Trentino Film Commission."

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