Saint Philip of Jesus

Saint Philip of Jesus

Born: 1572, in Mexico City, Viceroyalty of New Spain (now Mexico)

Died: February 5, 1597 in Nagasaki, Japan

Beatified: September 14, 1627 by Pope Urban VIII

Canonized: June 8, 1862 by Pope Pius IX

Feast day: February 5

Attributes: spear, palm branch, cross

Patron saint of Mexico City

Saint Philip of Jesus was a Catholic missionary who was one of the 26 Martyrs of Japan, the first Mexican saint and patron saint of Mexico City.

He joined the Reformed Franciscans and served several years in Manila. He left Manila aboard the ship the San Felipe on 12 July 1596, on a voyage to Mexico for his ordination as a priest.

A storm forced the vessel to the coast of Japan. There it was seized, and Saint Philip and the other passengers were held as prisoners.

They arrived in Nagasaki, Japan in February of 1597, where they were taken to a mountain near the city, bound upon crosses and stabbed with spears, dying as martyrs.