Lorenzo Ruiz... The Saint... A Filipino! (1988)

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz (c.1600 - September 29, 1637), was born in Binondo, Manila, Philippines. His Chinese father taught him Chinese, and his Filipino mother taught him Tagalog. Both of his parents were Catholic. Lorenzo served at the convent of Binondo church as an altar boy. After a few years Lorenzo earned the title of "escribano" (notary). He became a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary. He was working as a clerk at the Binondo Church when he was falsely accused of killing a Spaniard in 1636. Prior to that, his life with his Filipino wife and three children was one of peace, contentment, and Christ-centered. Lorenzo was falsely accused of murdering a Spaniard and sought asylum on board a ship with three Dominican priests, Saint Antonio Gonzalez, Saint Guillermo Courtet, Saint Miguel de Aozaraza, a Japanese priest: Saint Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz, and a layman named Saint Lazaro of Kyoto, a leper. The boat landed at Okinawa and the group was arrested on basis of their Christian religion. They were tortured by the Japanese, but did not denounce their faith, and died as martyrs. Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified in Manila on February 18, 1981 by Pope John Paul II who canonized Lorenzo on October 18, 1987. Lorenzo's beatification was the first one outside the Vatican and is the first Filipino saint.