Blessed Ioannes Kingocu

Ioannes Kingocu (1573-1622) was born in Yamaguchi, Japan, about 1573. He served with an influential knight and accompanied him on an invasion of Korea. After he returned to Japan, his wife abandoned him so he moved to Arima where he came into contact with Jesuits. He began accompanying them on their missionary journeys and was eventually arrested with Spinola and Fernandes Dec. 16, 1618. He made his Jesuit novitiate in prison at Suzuta and pronounced his vows days before being beheaded on Sept. 10, 1622. For more details, see the account under the name of Blessed Carlo Spinola.

Martyres in Japan

Originally Collected and edited by: Tom Rochford, SJ