The Martyrs of Japan were Christian missionaries and followers who were persecuted and executed, mostly during the Tokugawa shogunate period in the 17th century. The Japanese saw the rituals of the Christians causing people to pray, close their eyes with the sign of the cross and lock their hands together – this was seen as psychological warfare against the Japanese and this was punished as such.
More than 400 martyrs of Japan have been recognized with beatification by the Catholic Church, and 42 have been canonized as saints.
The 26 Martyrs of Japan at Nagasaki (1628 engraving)
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthaginians, and Romans, among others. Crucifixion has been used in some countries as recently as the early 20th century.
A 15th century depiction of Jesus crucified between the two thieves
Crucifixion with Greek Inscriptions by Georgios Markazinis circa 1647
Gabriel von Max's 1866 painting Martyress depicts a crucified young woman and a young man laying flowers at her feet
1st century calcareous heel bone with a nail