Charles Spinola was an Italian Jesuit priest born in Genoa in 1564. After receiving his ordination in 1594, he dedicated himself to missionary work in Japan. His long and difficult journey to Asia involved multiple shipwrecks, detentions in England, and a period of preaching in Puerto Rico. He eventually reached Japan in 1602, where he served as a teacher and minister. Following the banishment of foreign missionaries, he lived in hiding for several years before being captured and executed in Nagasaki.
Life and travels
Born to a nobleman, Spinola studied in Spain and Italy before joining the Society of Jesus. His path to the East was fraught with peril, including a storm that drove his vessel to Brazil and another that led to his capture by an English ship. After being released, he finally arrived in Japan via Macao, where he studied the local language to better serve the growing Christian community.
Martyrdom and veneration
Spinola taught mathematics and astronomy in Kyoto before the Japanese authorities expelled foreign clergy. He evaded capture for four years but was eventually imprisoned in harsh conditions. In 1622, he was killed by being burned at the stake in Nagasaki. He was later declared blessed by the Catholic Church in 1867, alongside thirty other Jesuit companions.