A portrait of St. Lorenzo Ruiz
St. Lorenzo Ruiz
c. 1600 – 29 September 1637
Feast
September 28 · XVII c.
Patron of
Philippines · Filipino youth · Overseas workers · Altar servers
Order
Layman / Martyr
Filipino layman and martyr (c. 1600-1637), of Chinese-Filipino parentage from Binondo, Manila; calligrapher of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary who fled false murder charges by accompanying Dominican missionaries to Japan. Captured at Okinawa, tortured at Nagasaki and hanged inverted in a pit, refused apostasy. First Filipino saint and proto-martyr; canonized 1987 by John Paul II.
Life & Times
Born: c. 1600 · Died: 29 September 1637 · From: Philippines / Japan.
Patronage
St. Lorenzo Ruiz is invoked as the patron of philippines, filipino youth, overseas workers, altar servers. Those in these callings or circumstances often turn to this saint in prayer.
“Even if I had a thousand lives, I would offer them all to God.”— His response to his Japanese persecutors at Nagasaki, recorded by Dominican witnesses (1637)
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Devotional items honoring St. Lorenzo Ruiz, from our Sancta Lumina collection and beyond.
About Catholic Saints
Catholic saints, including St. Lorenzo Ruiz, are Christians whom the Catholic Church has formally recognized as having lived lifes of heroic holiness and who now dwell with God in heaven, offering an example of faith for those still on their earthly journey. Catholics don't worship saints, but ask them to pray to God with us and for us — much as one might ask a trusted friend to pray for them — trusting that those closest to God can join their voices to ours before Him. Discover more saints in the Catholic Shop Saints section.