New Artwork about Blessed Takayama

Ernestodepedro
A painting of Blessed Justo Takayama made in Japan by a Filipino artist John Andrew Sustaita, of Real Catholic Art
A painting of Blessed Takayama de Manila made in Japan by Filipino artist John Andrew Sustaita, of Real Catholic Art

►This painting of Blessed Justo Takayama was made by Texas-based John Andrew Sustaita, owner of Real Catholic Art. Note that the venerated Martyr wears a halo, but not the ‘Palm of Martyrdom.’

This poster/painting of Blessed Takayama was created by a team of U.S.T. Seminarians led by Elson Santos, who exhibited it during the Fourth Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE-4) on July 24-28, 2017 at the U.S.T. Campus.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle extols the importance of Blessed Takayama de Manila to the bilateral relations between Japan and the Philippines
On Feb. 7, 2017 — Beatification of Lord Takayama in Osaka — Photographer Robert Queddeng visited the Takayama Memorial at Plaza Dilao to take this memento picture. Since then, the statue has been wrapped in mufti and caged with a wire screen — as construction for Skyway-3 Overpass proceeds. By then, the statue had stood at Plaza Dilao for 40 years, collecting grime and dust from the street traffic.
Different artists, different interpretations. Can your art group re-imagine this revered figure of Philippine-Japanese history? Email these to us.

Altar Statue of Blessed Takayama, carved by the celebrated Paete artist, Paloy Cagayat, was installed on Dec. 21, 2017 at the Paco Catholic Church (est. 1580), Manila — showing Ukon with ‘Palm of Martyrdom’ and a metal halo. The Paco Catholic Church is in the pastoral care of Msgr. Rolando R. dela Cruz, parish priest, and Fr. Carlo del Rosario, parochial vicar.#

The Takayama Altar Statue was borrowed by the Manila Cathedral for the Feb. 3, 2018 Thanksgiving Mass marking Takayama’s first Feastday as ‘Beatus’ (Blessed).
Blessed Takayama portrait made by +Noel Velez at his Tokyo hospital bed.

Imploring Blessed Takayama’s intercession for his healing — on just the basis of an ‘estampita’ (prayer card), Noel Velez (b. 1951) decided to make his own portraits of what he imagined the celebrated ‘Kirishitan Samurai’ looked like. A Tokyo-based Filipino, Noel Velez was familiar with the lore about this martyred Japanese Christian of great heroic virtue. He prayed fervently — even after his doctors told his family there was no hope from the hospital treatment. Noel died Jan. 14, 2018.

His widow, Puchie Gan, compiled his art works into a slim booklet — and presented this to Cardinal Tagle after the Mass celebrating ther first Feastday of Blessed Takayama.

Another work by +Noel Velez.
Book cover of “Kirishitan Daimyo: Takayama Ukon” by Shinzuke Tani (Tokyo: Daughters of St. Paul, 1979).

Photos of new artwork (even old ones) about Blessed Takayama may be emailed to <blessedtakayama@gmail.com> or <ernestodepedro@gmail.com> so we can share them on this blog.◘

Dr. Ernie A. de Pedro
Takayama Trustee

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