View source for Lorenzo Ruiz

{{Short description|First Filipino saint and Martyr}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{for other uses}}
{{Infobox saint
| honorific_prefix = [[Saint]] 
| name             = Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila
| honorific_suffix = [[Third Order of Saint Dominic|TOSD]]
| birth_date       = {{birth date|1594|11|28}}<ref name=ucanews>{{cite web|url=https://www.ucanews.com/directory/saint/lorenzo-ruiz-filipino-layman-who-became-a-martyr-in-japan/15|title=Asian Catholic Directory: List of Catholic Dioceses in Asia|website=[[Union of Catholic Asian News]]|accessdate=2024-08-12}}</ref>
| death_date       = {{Death date and age|1637|09|29|1594|11|28}}
| feast_day        = September 28
| death_cause      = [[Ana-tsurushi|Tsurushi]]
| venerated_in     = [[Catholic Church]]
| image            = 03973jfCubao Cathedral Interior Quezon Cityfvf 09 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize        = 
| caption          = Ruiz on a stained-glass window in [[Cubao Cathedral]]
| birth_place      = [[Binondo]], [[Manila]]<br />[[Captaincy General of the Philippines]], [[Spanish Empire]]
| death_place      = [[Nagasaki]], Hizen Province, [[Tokugawa Shogunate]]
| titles           = [[Martyr]]
| beatified_date   = February 18, 1981
|beatified_place   = [[Rizal Park]], [[Manila]], [[Philippines]]
| beatified_by     = [[Pope John Paul II]]
| canonized_date   = October 18, 1987
| canonized_place  = [[Vatican City]]
| canonized_by     = [[Pope John Paul II]]
| attributes       = [[Rosary]] in clasped hands, gallows and pit, [[barong tagalog]] or ''camisa de chino'' and black trousers, cross, [[palm of martyrdom]]
| patronage        = The [[Philippines]], [[Filipino people|Filipinos]], [[Overseas Filipino Workers]] and [[migrant workers]], immigrants, the poor, separated families, Filipino [[youth]], [[Chinese-Filipinos]], Filipino [[Altar servers]], [[Tagalog people|Tagalogs]], [[Archdiocese of Manila]].
| major_shrine     = [[Binondo Church| Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz]], [[Binondo]], [[Manila]], Philippines
| suppressed_date  = 
| issues           = 
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{{Chinese
|t={{linktext|李|樂|倫}}
|s={{linktext|李|乐|伦}}
|p=Lǐ Yuèlún
|poj=Lí Ga̍k-lûn
|j=Lei5 Ngok6leon4 
|c=|mi=|ci=|altname=}}
{{Persecutions of the Catholic Church sidebar}}
'''Lorenzo Ruiz''' ({{langx|fil|Lorenzo Ruiz ng Maynila}}; {{lang-zh|link=no|李樂倫|s=李乐伦|p=Lǐ Yuèlún}}; {{langx|es|link=no|Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila}}; November 28, 1594 – September 29, 1637), also called '''Saint Lorenzo of Manila''', was a [[Catholic Church in the Philippines|Filipino Catholic]] [[Laity|layman]] and a member of the [[Third Order of Saint Dominic]]. A [[Chinese Filipinos|Chinese Filipino]], he became his country's [[List of protomartyrs|protomartyr]] after his execution in Japan by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] during its persecution of [[Kirishitan|Japanese Christians]] in the 17th century. Lorenzo Ruiz is the [[patron saint]] of, among others, the [[Philippines]] and the [[Filipinos|Filipino]] people.

==Early life==
[[File:001-binondochurch.jpg|thumb|right|[[Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz]] and [[Binondo Church]], the main shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz]]
Lorenzo Ruiz was a Filipino born in [[Binondo]], [[Manila]], on 28 November 1594,<ref name=ucanews/> to a [[Chinese Filipinos|Chinese]] father and a [[Tagalog people|Tagalog]] mother who were both [[Catholic Church in the Philippines|Catholic]]. His father taught him Chinese while his mother taught him [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]].

Lorenzo served as an [[altar boy]] at the Binondo Church. After being educated by the [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] friars for a few years, Lorenzo earned the title of ''escribano'' ([[scrivener]]) because of his skillful [[penmanship]]. He became a member of the ''Cofradía del Santísimo Rosario'' ([[Confraternity of the Rosary|Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary]]). He married Rosario, a native, and they had two sons and a daughter.<ref name=foley>[http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1146 Foley O.F.M., Leonard. ''Saint of the Day, Lives, Lessons and Feast'', (revised by Pat McCloskey O.F.M), Franciscan Media]</ref> The Ruiz family led a generally peaceful, religious and content life.

In 1636, while working as a clerk for the Binondo Church, Lorenzo was falsely accused of killing a [[Spaniards|Spaniard]]. Lorenzo sought [[Right to asylum|asylum]] on board a ship with three [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] priests: [[Antonio González (martyr)|Antonio Gonzalez]], [[Guillermo Courtet]], and [[Miguel de Aozaraza]]; a Japanese priest, [[Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz]]; and a [[Laity|lay]] [[Leprosy|leper]] [[Lázaro of Kyoto]]. Lorenzo and his companions sailed for [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] on 10 June 1636, with the aid of the Dominican fathers.<ref name=Press>"Visit of Her Excellency President [[Gloria Macapagal Arroyo]] to Participate in the [[2005 World Summit]] – High Level [[plenary session]] of the 60th Session of the [[United Nations General Assembly]], New York, United States of America, 12–15 September 2005", [[Mass media|Press]] Kit, Office of the President, Government Mass Media Group, Bureau of Communications Services, [[Manila]], September 2005.</ref><ref name=Dominguez>[http://religion-cults.com/saints/september29.htm Religion-Cults.com Dominguez, J, M.D., September 29: Saints of the Day, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, 1600–1637, Religion-Cults.com], retrieved on: June 10, 2007</ref><ref name=Lorenzo>[http://www.chapelofsanlorenzoruiz.org/ Filipino Apostolate/Archdiocese of New York, Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz, ChapelofSanLorenzoRuiz.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120120844/http://www.chapelofsanlorenzoruiz.org/ |date=November 20, 2008 }}, retrieved on: June 9, 2007</ref>

==Martyrdom==
[[File:Tsurushi.jpg|thumb|Depiction of ''tsurushi''.]]

The [[Tokugawa Shogunate]] was [[Martyrs of Japan|persecuting Christians]] because they feared that the [[history of the Philippines (1565-1898)|Spanish invaded the Philippines]] through using [[religion]] by the time Lorenzo had arrived in Japan. The missionaries were arrested and thrown into prison, and after two years, they were transferred to [[Nagasaki]] to face trial by [[torture]]. The group endured many and various cruel methods of torture.<ref name=foley />

On 27 September 1637, Lorenzo and his companions were taken to Nishizaka Hill, where they were tortured by being hung upside-down over a pit and bled. He died two days later on 29 September 1637, aged 42. This form of torture was known as ''[[tsurushi]]'' in Japanese or ''horca y hoya'' ("[[gallows]] and pit") in Spanish. The method, alleged to have been extremely painful, had the victim bound; one hand was always left free so that the individual may signal their desire to recant, leading to their release. Despite his suffering, Lorenzo refused to renounce Christianity and died from eventual [[exsanguination|blood loss]] and suffocation. His last words were:

{{quote|Latin: ''Ego Catholicus sum et animo prompto paratoque pro Deo mortem obibo. Si mille vitas haberem, cunctas ei offerrem.''<br> English: "I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God; had I a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer.")<ref name=foley />}}

After his death his body was cremated. His ashes were then thrown into the sea of Nagasaki to prevent other Christians from gathering his sacred relics.<ref name=Press /><ref name=Dominguez /><ref name=Lorenzo />

==Veneration==
===Beatification process===
The ''[[positio]]'' for the cause of beatification of Lorenzo Ruiz was written by Spanish historian [[Fidel Villarroel]]. The central document found to exhibit Ruiz's martyrdom was an eyewitness account by two Japanese ex-priests from the [[Society of Jesus]], rediscovered by Villaroel at the Jesuit Generalate archive in [[Rome]], an unlikely location as Ruiz was of the Dominican order.<ref>{{cite news|last=Carunungan|first=Celso Al.|title=Sainthood at last!|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=8cBNEdFwSQkC&dat=19870626&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|access-date=December 12, 2020|work=[[Manila Standard]]|publisher=Standard Publications, Inc.|date=June 26, 1987|page=4}}</ref> Lorenzo was [[Beatification|beatified]] during [[Pope John Paul II]]'s papal visit to the Philippines in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://azheepineda.skyrock.com/2743815476-UST-Archives-director-Fr-Fidel-Villarroel-O-P-Master-key-to-UST-s-past.html|title=UST Archives director Fidel Villarroel, OP: Master key to UST's past|author=azheepineda|work=Skyrock|date=January 2, 2010|access-date=April 30, 2012|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203000111/http://azheepineda.skyrock.com/2743815476-UST-Archives-director-Fr-Fidel-Villarroel-O-P-Master-key-to-UST-s-past.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/32045/2-volume-ust-history-charts-evolution-of-higher-education-in-the-philippines|title=2-volume UST history charts evolution of higher education in the Philippines|work=inquirer.net|date=January 22, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.varsitarian.net/witness/20100326/ust_historian_named_master_of_theology|title=UST historian named Master of Theology|work=The Varsitarian|date=March 25, 2010 }}</ref> It was the first ever beatification ceremony to be held outside the [[Vatican City|Vatican]].
[[File:San Lorenzo Ruiz at Manila Cathedral.jpg|thumb | A statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz enshrined at the [[Manila Cathedral]]. ]]

===Canonisation===
Lorenzo was [[Canonisation|canonised]] by Pope John Paul II on October 18, 1987, among the [[16 Martyrs of Japan]], making him the first Filipino saint.<ref name=Press /><ref name=Dominguez /><ref name=Lorenzo /> Ruiz' canonization was supported by a miracle in October 1983, when Cecilia Alegria Policarpio of [[Calinog, Iloilo]], was cured of brain atrophy ([[hydrocephalus]]) at the age of two, after her family and supporters prayed to Lorenzo for his intercession. She was diagnosed with the condition shortly after birth and was treated at University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thepinoycatholic.blogspot.com/2009/06/st-lorenzo-ruiz.html|title=The Pinoy Catholic: St. Lorenzo Ruiz|author=The Pinoy Catholic|work=thepinoycatholic.blogspot.com|date=June 11, 2009 }}</ref>

A mosaic of San Lorenzo is found in the Trinity Dome of [[Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception|Mary's National Shrine]] in Washington DC.

On September 28, 2017, the 30th anniversary of Lorenzo's canonization was celebrated in the [[Archdiocese of Manila]].

==Other tributes==
Lorenzo Ruiz is included in American painter [[John Nava (painter)|John Nava]]'s ''Communion of Saints Tapestries'', a depiction of 135 saints and blessed which hangs inside the [[Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels]] in Los Angeles, California.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olacathedral.org/zoom/ts12.html|title=Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels|work=olacathedral.org|access-date=January 16, 2009|archive-date=February 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220025137/http://www.olacathedral.org/zoom/ts12.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
===Film and theater===
*''Ang Buhay ni Lorenzo Ruiz'', a 1970 Filipino religious biographical film
*''[[Lorenzo Ruiz: The Saint... A Filipino]]'', a 1988 Filipino film
*''Lorenzo'', a musical staged in September 2013, by Green Wings Entertainment, with music by [[Ryan Cayabyab]], book and lyrics by Juan Ekis and [[Paul Dumol]], with the collaboration of Joem Antonio, direction by Nonon Padilla, and production by [[Christopher de Leon]].

===Books===
*Carunungan, Celso Al. ''To Die a Thousand Deaths: A Novel on the Life and Times of Lorenzo Ruiz'', Social Studies Publications, Metro Manila, Philippines, 1980.
*Delgado, Antonio C. ''The Making of The First Filipino Saint'', The Ala-Ala Foundation, 1982.
*Villaroel, Fidel "Lorenzo de Manila: The Protomartyr of the Philippines and His Companions", UST Publishing, Inc., 1988
*Dela Peña, Rev. Ordanico "The Birth of the Catholic Philippines in Asia: Includes the Lives of San Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod", Xlibris Corp., 2000
*Diaz, Emo "On The Road With San Lorenzo", UST Publishing, Inc., 2005
*Tan, Susan "The Martyrdom Of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, Pauline Publishing & Media, 2007
*Tan, Susan "Martyred: The Story Of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz", Pauline Publishing & Media, 2014

===Television===
*Canonization of Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz TV Special Coverage (PTV 4, 1987)
*Saint Lorenzo Ruiz: The Life, A 1st Filipino Saint Documentary Special (PTV 4, 1987)

===Educational institutions===
*Escuela De San Lorenzo Ruiz Academy, Greenheights Subdivision, Brgy. San Antonio, Sucat, Paranaque City
*Lorenzo Ruiz Academy, 1606 Ongpin St, Binondo, Manila City
*Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila School, Felix Ave., Vista Verde Executive Village Phase 1, Cainta, Rizal
*San Lorenzo Ruiz Center Of Studies And Schools, Villa de San Lorenzo, St. Dominic Corinthian, Dolores, San Fernando, Pampanga
*San Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila School, Buenmar Ave., Greenland Phase 1, Nangka, Marikina City
*San Lorenzo Ruiz Academy, Valencia Site, Poblacion, Polomolok, South Cotabato
*St. Lorenzo Ruiz Academy Of Tagum, Inc., Apokon Road, Tagum City, Davao Del Norte

==See also==
*[[List of Filipinos venerated in the Catholic Church]]
*[[Ignacia del Espiritu Santo]]
*[[Jerónima de la Asunción]]
*[[Kakure Kirishitan]]
*[[Martha de San Bernardo]], the first Filipino nun
*[[Martyrs of Japan]]
*[[Pedro Calungsod]], the second Filipino saint

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://archive.today/20130111222724/http://bluepanjeet.net/402/how-many-pinoys-do-you-know/ Cause for Beatification]
*[https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/1981/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19810218_beatificazione-ruiz.html Homily of John Paul II for the beatification of Lorenzo Ruiz]
*[http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Altars/CrucifixionStPeter/CrucifixionStPeter.htm Mosaic in Saint Peter's Basilica]
*[http://www.olacathedral.org/zoom/ts12.html St. Lorenzo Ruiz in the Communion of Saints Tapestries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220025137/http://www.olacathedral.org/zoom/ts12.html |date=February 20, 2012 }}
*[http://www.lgpolar.com/page/read/61 St. Lorenzo Ruiz Prayer in times of adversity. Translated into Spanish by José Tlatelpas, traditional version in English and Tagalog. Published in the Canadian Hispanic webzine "La Guirnalda Polar".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923155111/http://www.lgpolar.com/page/read/61 |date=September 23, 2012 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130823065923/http://www.lorenzorocks.com/ ''Lorenzo'', a musical on the life of Lorenzo Ruiz]

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{{Commons category}}
{{Subject bar |portal1=Saints |portal2= Biography |portal3= Catholicism |portal4= Philippines}}
{{Dominican Order in the Philippines}}
{{Current and Possible Filipino Saints}}
{{Roman Catholicism in the Philippines}}
{{Philippines in topic|Religions in}}
{{Catholic saints}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruiz, Lorenzo}}
[[Category:1594 births]]
[[Category:Tagalog people]]
[[Category:1637 deaths]]
[[Category:Lay Dominicans]]
[[Category:Filipino Dominicans]]
[[Category:17th-century Christian saints]]
[[Category:17th-century executions by Japan]]
[[Category:Foreign nationals imprisoned in Japan]]
[[Category:17th-century Roman Catholic martyrs]]
[[Category:Beatifications by Pope John Paul II]]
[[Category:Burials at sea]]
[[Category:Canonizations by Pope John Paul II]]
[[Category:Deaths from bleeding]]
[[Category:Executed Filipino people]]
[[Category:Filipino people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:Filipino Roman Catholic saints]]
[[Category:Filipino torture victims]]
[[Category:History of Christianity in Japan]]
[[Category:People from Binondo]]
[[Category:People from the Spanish colonial Philippines]]
[[Category:Filipino people executed abroad]]