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| Parroquia La Inmaculada Concepcion y San Lorenzo Ruiz |
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St. Lorenzo Ruiz
St. Lorenzo Ruiz is the very first Filipino saint. Lorenzo was born in the Chinese district of Manila. He was happily married to a lovely Filipina, who bore him three children. In 1636, while working as a clerck in Binondo Church he was falsely accused of murdering a Spaniard.
To escape execution, he fled some Dominican missionaries bound for Japan. When the ship reached Okinawa, they were arrested and horribly tortured. The martyrs were made to swallow pails of water while some soldiers trampled on their belly, came out from their mouth, nose and ears mixed with blood.
Long needles were put in their fingers provoking agonizing pains. They were asked to revoke their Christian faith. Lorenzo answered this by saying " I am a devout Christian, and I am ready to die for Christ. If I had a thousand lives, I will give all of them to Him." Strong willed, determined and for their love of God, St. Lorenzo and his companions endured the torture till death. They were said to have been hanged upside down inside holes full of filth, causing a slow and excruciating death.
Two renegade priest who worked as interpreters for the Japanese, were moved to repentance by his heroic faith. They took the first ship bound for Manila to report the whole story. The Achbishop,in sign of gratitude, ordered all bells of the city to ring in honor of Lorenzo.
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| Parroquia La Inmaculada Concepcion y San Lorenzo Ruiz
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| C/ Hospital s/n
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| Barcelona |
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08002 |
| Parish priest: Fr. Reuel Castañeda
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| Editor:
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| Mrs. Jennifer M. Adarlo
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| jenny_adarlo05@yahoo.com
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| Page Updated Thu Oct 6, 2005 7:01am EDT |
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