The gift consisted of fifty-four Christians, who were burned alive for the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have already written how there was in the public prison at Meaco a large number of the faithful, incarcerated because they would not bend the knee to Baal.

Nine of these died in the prison on account of the excessive labors and hardships which they suffered there.

They died thoroughly resigned to the divine will, and rejoicing in their happy fate.

When the emperor came to the court of the Dayri, [10] the metropolis of the whole of Japon, they told him of the imprisoned Christians; and since he is an implacable enemy of our holy faith, he ordered that they should all be burned alive.