Lorenzo Ruiz, also called Saint Lorenzo of Manila, was a Filipino Catholic layman and a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. A Chinese Filipino, he became his country's protomartyr after his execution in Japan by the Tokugawa shogunate during its persecution of Japanese Christians in the 17th century.
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, was born in Binondo, Manila around 1600 to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. Raised in a devout Catholic household, he was educated by the Dominicans and served as an altar boy and calligrapher at the local church. He lived a modest and peaceful life, working as a clerk and later marrying Rosario, with whom he had three children. Lorenzo was a man of deep faith, committed to his family and to serving God in the ordinary moments of daily life.
His peaceful existence changed when he was falsely accused of a crime. To escape persecution, Lorenzo fled the Philippines with a group of missionaries, eventually landing in Japan, a country then hostile to Christianity. There, he and his companions were arrested for their faith. Despite brutal torture and repeated offers of freedom in exchange for renouncing Christianity, Lorenzo stood firm. His famous words, “I am a Christian, and this I profess until the hour of my death,” became a timeless declaration of courage and faith.
Lorenzo endured unimaginable suffering—scourging, water torture, and finally death by hanging upside down in what is known as the “gallows pit.” Yet through all this, he never wavered. His unwavering stand for his beliefs, even when faced with death, shows us that faith is not just for times of comfort but for trials as well. He chose to give up everything, even his life, for the love of God, showing us that true discipleship involves sacrifice.
Today, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz serves as a powerful inspiration, especially to ordinary laypeople. He was not a priest or theologian, but a simple family man who chose faith over fear. His story reminds us that sanctity is not about status but about living with integrity, courage, and trust in God. For Filipinos and Catholics worldwide, his life is a call to live boldly for Christ, even when it is difficult. His legacy urges us to embrace our faith fully, to stand firm in trials, and to find strength in God, no matter the cost.
