Petro Kassui Kibe
Encyclopedia
Petro Kasui Kibe was a Japanese Christian
and a Jesuit priest during the 17th century. Before reaching Rome, he became the first Japanese to visit Jerusalem. After he came back to Japan, he was martyred. He saw the largest part of the world in medieval Japan. He is called the "Japanese
Marco Polo
" or "a Christian
walking through the world".
), Japan
. His parents were both Christians. He started to study at a seminary, a theological school, at age of 13. In 1606, he aspired to be a Jesuit and began to tell his name "Kasui". It is not known why he named himself "Kasui". Since then his name had been described "Petro Kasui Kibe" in Jesuit documents.
In 1614, he was exiled to Macau
due to a deportation order of Christians. He learned Latin and theology at a theological school in Macau. However, he and other Japanese knew it would be hard to be priests because of nationality discrimination, so they left the school to go to Rome.
He went to Malacca
and Goa
in India
by ship, and then left for Europe on foot via Persia, the Strait of Hormuz
and Baghdad
, finally becoming the first Japanese Christian to arrive in Jerusalem. After a difficult journey that lasted three years he arrived in Rome
after sailing through the Mediterranean Sea
.
From Macau, a letter telling "Japanese who left Macau would go to Rome, but don't talk to them." was sent to Rome. However in Rome, Jesuits examined Kibe and found out he had enough knowledge and was suited for a priest
. On November 15, 1620, he became a Jesuit priest at age of 32 at the Basilica of St. John Lateran
.
Afterward, he was trained for two years at a Jesuit training school in Rome, and took his vows as a Jesuit priest in Lisbon
. In 1623, he departed for India with twenty Jesuits. Next year, he arrived at Goa via Cape of Good Hope
.
to Japan in 1630. The ship wrecked but reached Kagoshima in southern Japan. He returned to Japan sixteen years after he left home.
Father Kibe hid himself and escaped from severe oppression and exposure. He went to northeast Japan via Nagasaki and encouraged Christians. In 1639, he was caught when he was hiding at the home of a Christian and was arrested. He was sent to Edo (Tokyo
at present). He met Cristóvão Ferreira
who had already rejected his faith of Christianity, but Kibe strongly recommended Ferreira to return to the faith. Father Kibe was tortured severely, but he never rejected his faith. He even encouraged two other Christians in the "torture hole" who were also being tortured to death. As a result, the infuriated guards pulled him out of the hole and ran him through with a spear.
In Kibe Kunimi-town Kunisaki-city Oita prefecture, there is the Father Kibe Memorial Park which was founded by Father Sekki. Kibe's statue which is made by Yasutake Funakoshi stands at the park. On May 7, 2006, the Roman Curia Congregation for the Causes of Saints decided Father Kibe and other 187 Japanese Christians who were martyred should be declared blessed.
The beatification of Peter Kibe and 187 other martyrs took place on November 24, 2008 in Nagasaki. For the liturgical celebration in Nagasaki Stadium more than 30,000 participants attended.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and a Jesuit priest during the 17th century. Before reaching Rome, he became the first Japanese to visit Jerusalem. After he came back to Japan, he was martyred. He saw the largest part of the world in medieval Japan. He is called the "Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
" or "a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
walking through the world".
Early life
In 1587, Petro Kibe was born in Kibe, Kunisaki in Bungo (at present, Kibe Kunimi-town Kunisaki-city Ōita PrefectureOita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
), Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. His parents were both Christians. He started to study at a seminary, a theological school, at age of 13. In 1606, he aspired to be a Jesuit and began to tell his name "Kasui". It is not known why he named himself "Kasui". Since then his name had been described "Petro Kasui Kibe" in Jesuit documents.
In 1614, he was exiled to Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
due to a deportation order of Christians. He learned Latin and theology at a theological school in Macau. However, he and other Japanese knew it would be hard to be priests because of nationality discrimination, so they left the school to go to Rome.
He went to Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
and Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
by ship, and then left for Europe on foot via Persia, the Strait of Hormuz
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....
and Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, finally becoming the first Japanese Christian to arrive in Jerusalem. After a difficult journey that lasted three years he arrived in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
after sailing through the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
From Macau, a letter telling "Japanese who left Macau would go to Rome, but don't talk to them." was sent to Rome. However in Rome, Jesuits examined Kibe and found out he had enough knowledge and was suited for a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
. On November 15, 1620, he became a Jesuit priest at age of 32 at the Basilica of St. John Lateran
Basilica of St. John Lateran
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
.
Afterward, he was trained for two years at a Jesuit training school in Rome, and took his vows as a Jesuit priest in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. In 1623, he departed for India with twenty Jesuits. Next year, he arrived at Goa via Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
.
Return to Japan
Father Kibe had a hard decision to return to Japan due to the risk of being a martyr as Japan oppressed Christians and Christian priests' entry to Japan was forbidden. He had a very hard time finding a ship which would allow him to board. He traveled around Southeast Asia, and then finally he succeeded in boarding a ship from ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
to Japan in 1630. The ship wrecked but reached Kagoshima in southern Japan. He returned to Japan sixteen years after he left home.
Father Kibe hid himself and escaped from severe oppression and exposure. He went to northeast Japan via Nagasaki and encouraged Christians. In 1639, he was caught when he was hiding at the home of a Christian and was arrested. He was sent to Edo (Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
at present). He met Cristóvão Ferreira
Cristóvão Ferreira
Cristóvão Ferreira was a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who famously committed apostasy after being tortured in the anti-Christian purges of Japan. Born around 1580 in Portugal, Ferreira was sent to Asia, where he was a missionary in Japan from 1609 to 1633, becoming the head Jesuit under the...
who had already rejected his faith of Christianity, but Kibe strongly recommended Ferreira to return to the faith. Father Kibe was tortured severely, but he never rejected his faith. He even encouraged two other Christians in the "torture hole" who were also being tortured to death. As a result, the infuriated guards pulled him out of the hole and ran him through with a spear.
In Kibe Kunimi-town Kunisaki-city Oita prefecture, there is the Father Kibe Memorial Park which was founded by Father Sekki. Kibe's statue which is made by Yasutake Funakoshi stands at the park. On May 7, 2006, the Roman Curia Congregation for the Causes of Saints decided Father Kibe and other 187 Japanese Christians who were martyred should be declared blessed.
The beatification of Peter Kibe and 187 other martyrs took place on November 24, 2008 in Nagasaki. For the liturgical celebration in Nagasaki Stadium more than 30,000 participants attended.