Charles Spinola

Father Charles Spinola or Blessed Charles Spinola was born in Genoa in 1564, the son of the Count of Tassarolo, and the nephew of Cardinal Philip Spinola. He was educated in Spain and in the Jesuit school in Nola, Italy. He entered the noviatiate in 1584, and was ordained in 1594. In 1596, he received a letter appointing him to the missions in Japan. His journey was marked by shipwrecks and delays, which included captivity in England, and he reached his destination only in 1602, six years later. For twelve years, he worked at ministering to the growing Christian community in Japan. In 1614, all foreign missionaries were banished so Charles went into hiding, eluding capture for four years. After enduring four more years of captivity, he was burnt at the stake on September 10, 1622. Charles was declared Blessed in 1867, along with 30 other Jesuits, over half of whom were Japanese.
Category:1564 births
Category:1622 deaths
Category:People from Genoa (city)
Category:Martyred Roman Catholic priests
Category:Christian missionaries in Japan
Category:People executed by burning
Category:Beatified people
Category:Italian Jesuits
Category:17th-century executions by Japan
Category:Italian people executed abroad
Category:17th-century Roman Catholic martyrs
Category:17th-century venerated Christians