Lorenzo Ruiz (c. 1594–1637)
"Faithful in Love, Courageous in Witness.”
Son of a Chinese father and a Filipina mother; married with three children.
❤️Known For
He is venerated today as the patron saint of overseas Filipino workers, families, and those facing persecution.
👣An Ordinary Person Like Us
Parish calligrapher and clerk at Binondo Church, known for his skill in writing and devotion to parish life. Educated by Dominican friars, served as altar boy and sacristan.
🤲✨Values Exemplified
In 1636, Lorenzo was falsely accused of murder in Manila. To escape persecution, he fled with Dominican missionaries bound for Japan. Japan was under the Tokugawa Shogunate, which brutally persecuted Christians. Arrested in Okinawa and taken to Nagasaki, Lorenzo and companions faced torture. Despite immense suffering, he refused to renounce his faith, declaring: “I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God; had I many thousands of lives, I would offer them all.”
Executed in 1637, he became the first Filipino martyr and saint.
🕯️📖Reflection on the Life of San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo Ruiz was an ordinary man—husband, father, parish worker. Yet when faced with trial, he chose faith over fear, becoming a witness to God’s love. His story reminds us that holiness is not reserved for priests or religious alone. In the ordinary duties of family and work, we too can live faithfully. When challenges come, we are called to stand firm, trusting that God’s grace is stronger than fear.
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” -Revelation 2:10
Join us for Saints Come Marching In on Saturday, 31 Oct. Check out the details of the event and register here.