Philip of Jesus
Catholic misionary
Feast: 5 February (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Philip, born in Mexico, was a frivolous youth who joined the Franciscans, left, and lived a life of pleasure as a merchant in the Philippines. Repenting, he was readmitted at Manila in 1590.
Sailing to Mexico for ordination in 1596, his ship was wrecked on the coast of Japan. With St Peter Baptist and his companions he was crucified and pierced with spears on the 'Mount of the Martyrs' at Nagasaki in February 1597. He is patron of Mexico City.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A wayward young man who came back to God and died on a cross in Japan.
Connected on this site
- Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan Saint honoured together
- Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan Saint“Philip of Jesus, OFM (Spanish: Felipe de Jesús; 1572 – 1597) was a New Spanish Franciscan missionary who became one of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan.” — Wikipedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Philip of Jesus
- Wikidata Q2671480 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Philip of Jesus (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.