Girolamo de Angelis was an Italian Jesuit missionary born in Sicily in 1567. After studying law in Palermo, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1586 and eventually joined a mission to Japan. His initial voyage from Lisbon was delayed by storms, leading him through Brazil, Puerto Rico, and England. He eventually reached Nagasaki in 1602 and later became the first European to reach the Ainu people in Hokkaido. He was executed in Edo in 1623 after surrendering to authorities to protect his converts from persecution.
Life and mission
After traveling to Goa to finish his studies, de Angelis arrived in Japan in 1602. He worked in the region near modern-day Tokyo and later expanded his efforts to the northern island of Hokkaido. Following the 1614 edict that expelled missionaries, he remained in the country. To prevent further suffering for his followers, he voluntarily surrendered to the government in 1623, leading to his death by fire during the Great Martyrdom of Edo.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognized his sacrifice, and his cause for sainthood was initiated following his death. He was beatified in 1867. He is remembered as a blessed martyr, with his feast day observed on December 4.