February 6
St Paul Miki and Companions
Belgium : St Amand, Bishop of Maastricht
Feast shown for the year 2027; movable feasts can vary from year to year.
On February 6, the Church commemorates St Paul Miki and Companions, martyrs of Japan. These 26 Christians—both clergy and laypeople, Franciscans and Jesuits, Japanese and foreign missionaries—were executed in Nagasaki in 1597 amid rising anti-Christian persecution. Led by St Paul Miki, a Japanese Jesuit, they were arrested during a period of suspicion against Western influence and Christianity under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Displayed as a warning, the group was forced to march hundreds of miles before being crucified, showing remarkable courage and forgiveness, even praying for their persecutors. Their steadfast witness inspired future generations of Japanese Christians, who often kept the faith alive in hidden communities during centuries of prohibition. The Church honors St Paul Miki and his companions as symbols of faith enduring even in the face of severe oppression, reminding all Christians of the universality of the Church and the power of forgiveness and steadfastness in the Gospel.
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Local variations
- Belgium — St Amand, Bishop of Maastricht
Liturgical texts of February 6, 2027
The liturgical day
Mass readings
ReadingHe 13, 15-17.20-21
Brothers and sisters,
in every circumstance,
let us offer to God, through Jesus, a sacrifice of praise,
that is, the words of our lips that proclaim his name.
Do not forget to be generous and to share.
It is with such sacrifices that we please God.
Trust those who lead you
and be submissive to them;
indeed, they are there to watch over your souls,
for which they will have to give an account.
Thus, they will carry out their task with joy,
without having to complain,
which would be of no benefit to you.
May the God of peace,
who brought up from the dead,
by the blood of the eternal Covenant,
the Shepherd of the sheep, the supreme Shepherd,
our Lord Jesus,
may this God equip you with all that is good
to do his will,
may he accomplish in us what is pleasing in his eyes,
through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
– The word of the Lord.
Psalm22 (23), 1-2ab, 2c- 3, 4, 5, 6
The Lord is my shepherd:
I lack nothing.
In green pastures,
he gives me rest.
He leads me beside still waters
and restores my soul;
he guides me along the right path
for the honor of his name.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil,
for you are with me:
your rod and your staff comfort me.
You prepare a table for me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for length of days.
GospelMc 6, 30-34
At that time,
the Apostles gathered around Jesus,
and told him all they had done and taught.
He said to them:
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place,
and rest a while."
For many were coming and going,
and they had no time even to eat.
So they went away in the boat
to a deserted place by themselves.
People saw them leaving,
and many understood what they were doing.
So, on foot, from every town,
they hurried there
and arrived before them.
As he got out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd.
He was moved with compassion for them,
because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
So, he began to teach them at length.
– Let us acclaim the Word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org