Blessed Augustine Ota, a martyr of Japan and a native Japanese. He was born in 1572 in Ojika, Goto-retto, Nagasaki, and grew up Buddhist. Jesuits converted and baptised him in 1585. After his wife died, he devoted all his time to spreading Christianity and evangelising his countrymen. Because of his knowledge of Buddhism, he was especially valuable to the Jesuit missionaries.
Despite the persecution Christians were facing, Augustine joined Father Camillus Costanzo and served as his catechist on visits to the islands of the western shore of Japan and to some of the mainland. They were betrayed by a Japanese man who feigned interest in hearing Father Costanzo. After finding out the secret whereabouts of the priest, the man passed the information to the police who tracked him and Augustine down on the island of Uku and arrested them.
Knowing he would be executed, Augustine wrote to the Jesuit provincial in Japan, requesting for admission into the Society. An affirmative answer arrived, and Father Costanzo accepted Augustine as a novice. The day before his death Augustine pronounced the three vows. He was beheaded on August 10, 1622 and his body thrown into the sea.
The Church venerated him on February 26, 1866, through a decree of martyrdom issued by Pope Pius IX. The Pope then beatified him on May 7, 1867.
When they came within sight of Hilarianus, by gesture and nod, they began to say to Hilarianus, You judge us,
 say they, but God will judge you.
 At this the people, exasperated, demanded that they should be tormented with scourges as they passed along the rank of the venatores. And they indeed rejoiced that they should have incurred any one of their Lord’s passions.
Tertullian (The Passion of Perpetua and Felicity)
AnaStpaul 
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