Saint Martin of the Ascension was born around 1566 at Vergara in Navarre, Spain. He’s also referred to as Martin de Loynaz Amunabarro, San Martin de la Ascension, or Martin de Aguirre. He studied in Alcala, Spain, before joining the Franciscan Missionaries in 1586.

Martine of the Ascension goes down in history as a priest who loved singing. He served as a missionary at Manilla in the Philippines and Mexico before going to Osaka, Japan.

The Japanese government focused on building a strong trade relationship with the West during their arrival. That gave the missionaries a leeway to spread the gospel into the land, and they converted many Japanese.

The Catholic Church in Japan started growing bigger. But, like a ticking time bomb, a national political revolution fighting Christianity erupted and gained momentum.

Japan’s leader, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, bowed to the beating drums. He was convinced that the growing Christianity would soon lead to a European invasion. As a result, he ordered the persecution of all the missionaries and Christian believers in the region.

Saint Martin of the Ascension and 25 other martyrs faced crucifixion on the 5th of February, 1597. This happened at Tateyama, in Nagasaki, Japan. Alongside Martin of the Ascension, the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki included three Japanese Jesuits, five other Franciscan missionaries, and 17 laypeople. Thousands of other believers, including children, were also persecuted.

Years later, Pope Pius IX later canonized the twenty-six Martyrs of Japan, including Martin, on the 8th of June 1862.