#the pit and the gallows torture/execution? method

[cr0wl33]

birthday tomorrow (technically today) yk what that means!

[cruger2984]

You can read the entire description of the first Filipino saint here.

THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT LORENZO RUIZ The Protomartyr and Patron of the Philippines

Take note, this is post #127,000.

“Ego Catholicus sum et animo prompto paratoque pro Deo mortem obibo. Si mille vitas haberem, cunctas ei offerrem.” (“I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God; had I a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer.”)

He is the patron of Filipino altar servers, Chinese-Filipinos, the Filipino youth, immigrants, migrant workers, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the Filipino people, and the Philippines.

The first Filipino-born saint, Lorenzo Ruiz, was born on November 28, 1594 in Binondo, located in the capital of Manila. The Philippines is at that time ruled by the Spanish. He is raised to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother who were both Catholic. His father taught him Chinese while his mother taught him Tagalog.

In his youth, he served as an altar boy at the Binondo Church (aka Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz). Lorenzo earned the title of escribano (scrivener) after being educated by the Dominican friars for a few years because of his skillful penmanship. Later on, he became a member of the Confraternity of the Rosary (Cofradía del Santísimo Rosario). He married Rosario, a native, and they blessed with three children (two sons and a daughter), and they led a generally, peaceful, religious and content life.

Lorenzo’s life turned forever in 1636, while serving as a clerk at the church, he was falsely accused of murdering a Spaniard. In order to escape execution, he sought asylum on board a ship with some other Dominican missionaries bound for Japan. They are: Antonio Gonzalez, who is one of the Thomasian Martyrs, Guillermo Courtet, who is the first Frenchman to have visited Japan, and three individuals who are part of the 16 Martyrs of Japan - Miguel de Aozaraza, Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz; and a lay leper Lázaro of Kyoto. Lorenzo and his companions sailed for Okinawa on June 10, 1636, with the aid of the Dominican fathers.

The Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868) was persecuting Christians, because they feared that was how the Spanish invaded the Philippines by using religion by the time Lorenzo had arrived in Japan. The missionaries were arrested and thrown into prison, and after two years, they were transferred to Nagasaki to face trial by torture. The group endured many and various cruel methods of torture. They were made to swallow pails of water that while some soldiers trampled on their belly, came out from their mouth, nose, and ears mixed with blood. Long needles were put in their fingers provoking agonizing pains.

On September 27, 1637, Lorenzo and his companions were taken to Nishizaka Hill, where they were tortured by being hung upside-down over a pit. This form of torture was known as tsurushi (釣殺し) in Japanese or horca y hoya (’gallows and pit’) in Spanish. The method, alleged to have been extremely painful, had the victim bound; one hand was always left free so that the individual may signal their desire to recant, leading to their release. When the government officials asked: ’If we grant you life, will you renounce your faith?’

Lorenzo replied: “Ako ay Katoliko at buong puso kong tinatanggap ang kamatayan para sa Diyos. Kung mayroon akong isang libong buhay, iaalay ko lahat ito para sa Kanya!” (I am a Christian, and I shall die for God, and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do with me as you please!)

Ruiz refused to renounce Christianity and ultimately died from eventual blood loss and suffocation on September 29, 1637 at the age of 42 in Nagasaki, Hizen Province. His body was cremated and his ashes thrown into the sea. Two renegade priests, who worked as interpreters for the Japanese, were moved to repentance by his heroic faith. They took the first ship bound in Manila to report the whole story. In a sign of gratitude, the archbishop ordered all the bells of the city to ring in honor of him.

On February 18, 1981, Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified during John Paul II’s papal visit to the Philippines, making the first beatification ceremony to be held outside the Vatican in history. Six years later on the feast of St. Luke - October 18th, he was canonized in the Vatican by the same pope in the Vatican, among the 16 Martyrs of Japan, making him the first Filipino saint. His canonization was supported by a miracle in October 1983, when Cecilia Alegria Policarpio of Calinog, Iloilo, was cured of brain atrophy (hydrocephalus) at the age of two, after her family and supporters prayed to Lorenzo for his intercession.

"Ako ay Katoliko at buong puso kong tinatanggap ang kamatayan para sa Diyos. Kung mayroon akong isang libong buhay, iaalay ko lahat ito para sa Kanya."

("I am a Catholic, and I wholeheartedly accept death for God. If I had a thousand lives, I would offer them all to Him.")

St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, pray for us... and for the Filipino faithful!

⛪ - Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Light (Cainta, Rizal Province, Philippines)

[bad0mens]

Title: The Forest of Memories 12/14

Pairings: Fluri, Ristelle (Juristelle if you look hard enough)

Warnings: Historical-ish Fantasy AU garbage/Robin Hood AU

Authors’ Notes: *says that she’ll update more regularly* *goes a month without an update* Good job A+.

Disclaimer: Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

For the people of Nottingham, the capture of Robin Hood felt like the death of their hope. The heaviness of it seeped into every corner of the town, every nook and cranny. Despair over the prince's success was silent but inescapable.

Although he could not show it, it weighed just as heavily on Flynn, making the slightest task a chore and the slightest word of it torture to his ears. It was nothing compared to what Yuri was going through. He experienced the true torture at the hands of Alexei, who never let him forget that the gallows were all that awaited him. Alexei went though every necessary measure to make sure that the hangman's noose that awaited Yuri was nothing less than perfect.

Flynn could see its construction from the window of his office in the guard station, and he was certain that Yuri was made to see it from his jail cell. It was a reminder for the both of them that time was growing dangerously short.

He was still at a loss for what to do. Saving Yuri was his priority, but /how/ was the question that always came up. He needed help, but that was not forthcoming with any ease. Flynn wracked his mind for options as the days to Yuri's execution wound on. He would have to talk to him, and getting into the jail to see him would be the easy part. Whether or not Yuri would talk to him was another matter completely. He had to try. They were running out of options.

Once Alexei had gone for the day, Flynn took the opportunity given to him. The city guards would not question his presence in the jail as the pursuit of Robin Hood had been his mission. As far as they all knew, he and Alexei were working toward a common goal. He strode to the jail with purpose in his step, although his subordinates would never guess to that particular purpose. He need only carry the illusion of complacency.

The guards at the jail entrance didn't question him and barely gave him a passing glance as he walked between them. They shut and locked the gate behind him as normal and he was allowed to continue up the spiral stairs of the tower.

Thanks to Yuri's efforts, the number of people imprisoned had dwindled to a couple of dozen. Many had not been there long, but their glares and hushed tones still cursed him and what he was supposed to stand for. He couldn't blame them for their vitriol.

Cramped stone stairs led all the way to the topmost cell of the jail. Behind a wooden door and metal barred window, Yuri sat, arms chained to the wall with heavy shackles. He was slumped as if asleep. Although the leather of his jerkin was still intact, his shirt was in shreds dripping from his body, exposing flesh torn with bloody red welts and cuts, still fresh from his last beating. Alexei had been careful not to kill Yuri. It was no secret that he was saving that for the gallows as a demonstration before the prince and the people.

Quietly, he unlocked the door and closed it behind himself. Yuri did not stir.

"Yuri..." he spoke barely in a whisper.

"You shouldn't be here." He had likely been awake the whole time if Flynn's entrance hadn't woken him. "Why did you come here?"

"I'm trying to find a way to get you out of here."

"But I'm a criminal. I belong here." Now he decided to mark his actions as criminal and shove it not so subtly in Flynn's face.

"This isn't right. This isn't justice and we both know that."

He chuckled coldly, a strange smirk tugging at his lips.

"Have you given up just like that?" A heat rose in his own voice, but he kept the volume low.

Yuri's eyes lifted and looked at him for the first time since the night Flynn found him injured. Grey ringed in dark bruises and weighed, made dull by the lack of light. He looked so unlike the friend Flynn had known as a boy, so unlike the dark and mischievous phantom of Sherwood that it was startling and unsettling. Those eyes moved, head tilting weakly to look out of the window. Below, the gallows were almost ready. Only hours separated him from death.

"I don't think I'll be coming home."

Such soft words had more impact than if Yuri had stabbed him. He staggered back a step at hearing them. "Y-Yuri..."

"I trust you to do what you think is right. And please, take care of Estelle for me." He exhaled and it seemed like all the strength left him with that breath.

Flynn could find no words, no strength to reason with him in this final hour. It wasn't over yet. Alexei hadn't won yet. The prince hadn't won yet. Yuri was acting like the rope was already tightening around his neck. There was still time. There was still hope. Why was he giving up so easily?

He had to force himself not to run away. He left Yuri alone, unsure of what more to say, of what he could do, knowing that none of it would be of any comfort and there would only be more painful words exchanged. He couldn't bear them. If anyone was going to save Yuri, it was going to have to be Flynn. But he wasn't going to be able to do it alone.

With Alexei personally overseeing the constructions of the gallows and a feast being prepared in his honor, Flynn's presence was barely noticed. Servants and guards and nobles alike didn't pay him any mind. It made slipping up to the east wing easy. Even the guards at Estellise's door seemed largely unaffected by his presence. They still stopped him, however.

"State your business, Sheriff."

He had planned ahead for this. "Lord Alexei ordered that I question Lady Estellise further on Robin Hood."

"Robin Hood's been captured already--"

"But his gang of fellows remains at large. If they were to interrupt the execution tomorrow and provide any hope of escape for our prisoner, I can imagine that both our Royal Highness and Lord Alexei would be furious to say the least."

They looked at each other and nodded and let him pass. They locked the door behind him.

Estellise was seated by the hearth, calm and quiet, but green eyes locked with the fire. The embroidery hoop in her hand was fitted with fabric, but not a single stitch of the gold thread clenched between her fingers. From her stillness, it seemed like she had not moved in years, as if she was flesh made stiff marble.

"Lady Estellise?"

Her head snapped over to look at him and her face softened." Oh, Sheriff..."

"I'm sorry to intrude."

"No, not at all." She motioned to the seat opposite her own. "What can I do for you?"

He sat, casting his eyes about the room. They were alone. He spoke just loud enough to be heard over the crackle of the fire. "I'm here about Yuri. I want to find a a way to save him. But my first concern is for your safety."

"It's not my neck that will have a noose around it tomorrow. But Yuri asked you to, didn't he?"

"Yes."

She smiled, soft and sad. "He's been that way as long as I've known him. I can't say I'm surprised."

"He told me about your relationship."

"Yes. We share a father, but for the longest time, I had no idea that I had a brother. Father sent him away when I was very young. For years, he has been protecting me. Now I want to protect him in return. What are you planning to do?"

"I'm not sure." It was painful to admit that with how short their time was. "I plan to seek out his companions for help. Surely together, we can come up with something."

"Do you know where to find them?"

"Yes, I think so."

"I will find some way of escaping then. Do not worry for me."

"Yuri would never forgive me if I left you without aid."

"Excuse me, Lady Estellise." Sodia presence in the curtained archway of Estellise's bed chamber startled him. Here they were plotting subterfuge with another listening.

"Yes, Sodia?" Estellise did not seem to fear the consequences.

"I don't know what help I can be beyond helping you to escape, but I'm sure I can do that much," Sodia explained confidently. "While I don't agree with Robin Hood or his methods, I do owe you this and it's what I think is right. I won't see you sent to the block because of someone like him."

"How will you do it?" Flynn asked.

"At night, I wear my cloak when I leave. If Lady Estellise wears my dress and cloak and leaves with the hood lifted, I doubt the guards will suspect a thing." She ducked back into the room a moment and returned with a plain, dark brown woolen cloak, a far cry from the silk embroidered cloak of dark purple Estellise wore. "When I go to fetch supper, I'll ready my horse. If you slip out with the dishes afterward, you'll be free to go."

Estellise stood, taking one of Sodia's hands in her own. "That's very brave of you, but what will you do if they find that you are not me?"

"I'll try to slip away later tonight. They won't be looking for either of us until tomorrow."

With that agreed upon, Flynn had one more plan to make, and he had to come up with something much more complex very quickly. Sunset was only hours away, and dawn only a little further.

With sunset finally settling in, Flynn was able to break away from work once more. An early day for him, because they knew he would be in again before the dawn to oversee the execution. He rode from town slowly, letting the horse take an easy pace in spite of the rush he needed and the time constraints ever closing in. He could not act suspiciously in any manner and risk rousing concern.

Once he was far from the sight of the town and safe back on his family lands, he urged his horse into a run, flying across the meadow and down the trail that he could never forget no matter how overgrown. Their pace eased once moving over tree roots. He had no time to have his horse injured. Darkness was settling in, making the forest abuzz with animal life, when he finally caught sight of the tree fort. The camp was quiet and the fire in the pit little but smoldering embers. It was unnerving.

Flynn dismounted, tethering his horse. "Hello?" he spoke aloud as he strode toward the cluster of buildings.

No reply came and he continued. "Hello?" he called again, scanning the walkways above. "I'm here to--"

Stepping a pace forward, he was caught completely off guard as his legs whipped up out from beneath him, and he tumbled backward. It wasn't the ground that caught his fall, but a net that very quickly hoisted him up. Still reeling, he struggled in the web of it, pushing against the sides and tracing the pathway of the rope through the branches with his eyes. He reached for the knife at his side, intending to cut himself free, but stopped at the sight of figures standing below him.

"Well, what have we here?" the archer from the contest spoke with a twang, whistling afterward.

"If it isn't the honorable Sheriff of Nottingham," the minstrel spoke next, bowing with a flourish. "I'd be terribly interested to hear about how you found this place."

"Yeah, how did you?" the boy asked. "And what have you done with Yuri?!"

"Please, I can explain. Just let me down."

"If you can explain with your feet on the ground, you can do it in the net," the minstrel replied.

"I want to help save Yuri. I--"

"Why?" the boy cut him off, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're the Sheriff."

"He's a dear friend and I don't want to see him hanged."

Suspicions filled all of their faces, obvious disbelief.

"I've got an idea," Raven said. "We'll do a hostage exchange. The Sheriff for the lad."

"Yeah!"

"Not a bad idea really...."

"The prince would never agree," Flynn said. "He and Alexei would sooner see me hanged than let Yuri live another day. They'd probably be content to hang me beside him."

The minstrel opened her mouth to speak, but a series of barks cut her short. Their eyes all turned to see Repede dashing toward them, followed by two familiar forms. Rita regarded the display with disgust, and Estellise with horror.

"Let him down, you idiots," Rita huffed.

"What?" the boy asked. "But why? He's the enemy!"

"No, he's not. Flynn wants to help us save Yuri," Estellise explained, an gentle hand falling on the minstrel's arm. "Judith, please, let him down. Rita and I can both testify on his behalf."

"He's the one who saved Yuri's life. How else do you think he made it to the abbey with a wound like the one he had?" Rita waved sharply in a dismissing motion. "Yuri trusted him and we can, too."

Thankfully, they lowered him safely to the ground and he was able to shrug off the net. Half of the group still regarded him with suspicion, but Raven shooed the boy off to get the fire going. Estellise introduced them all and very soon after being captured as a prisoner, he was asked to sit by the fire as a guest.

"I wish Yuri had told us about you," Karol said, helping Judith break up kindling.

Flynn still didn't know why Yuri hadn't. Estellise, however, had the answer. "He wanted to. He just wasn't sure how to do it."

"Well, it's a moot point now that the lad's in jail," Raven stated grimly, ice blue eyes fixed on the fire. "Ya said ya wanted to help him. What exactly were ya planning?"

"I don't have a plan. That's why I'm here."

They all nodded somberly and fell silent.

"He's heavily guarded now, and will be even more so tomorrow. But if they expect us to attack, they'll be waiting for us tonight. They probably won't think us fool enough to try in broad daylight," Judith explained, turning to Flynn. "So that's when we need to do it. The last minute when they won't expect us. How many guards are slated to be on duty?"

Picking up a twig, he traced a map in the dirt around the fire. The tower, the guard station, and the gallows as well as every possible exit. He marked them simply and used circles to represent the guards. The letter Y marked Yuri, an A for Alexei, and an F for himself. He could even predict, hopefully with some accuracy, Cumore's position.

"Thirty guards are planned to be there, but I wouldn't be surprised if Alexei has fifty or more waiting. Two wait at Yuri's cell, two on each level of the jail, two more at the entrance, six around the perimeter. Four will watch the entrance of the grounds and no less than six will guard the gallows itself. Two guards will retrieve Yuri from his cell and escort him all the way down. I'm one of them. My deputy will be among those overseeing the gallows."

"Can we trust him?" Karol asked.

"I'm afraid not. Whether or not he believes what Alexei is doing is right, he is still a guard, and still loyal to the crown."

"So that leaves us no less than seven against thirty," Judith did the figures in her head. "Highly outnumbered. And Alexei will not take this lying down. He'll be number one to get out of the way."

"Allow me to handle him." Flynn was almost surprised by his own voice, the crackle of his words like lightning.

"Here's what we'll do," Standing, Judith took a long stick from behind her log seat. With the tip of it, she refined and fleshed out the simple map he had made in the dirt. She added more circles and letters and marks they could define as buildings. Thin lines marked paths of travel, thicker one walls and areas to avoid.

Once the map was set, she went through the plan, detailing the steps each of them would need to take, where to be at what time, and what to be ready for. Rita added notes and quips and the two answered questions through the first run. A few walkthroughs, and everyone knew their place and time.

The knots twisting his stomach and the sweating of his hands were constant reminders that they only had one chance to do this right.

[cruger2984]

THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT LORENZO RUIZ The Protomartyr and Patron of the Philippines Feast Day: September 28

Take note, this is post #127,000.

"Ego Catholicus sum et animo prompto paratoque pro Deo mortem obibo. Si mille vitas haberem, cunctas ei offerrem." ("I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God; had I a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer.")

He is the patron of Filipino altar servers, Chinese-Filipinos, the Filipino youth, immigrants, migrant workers, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the Filipino people, and the Philippines.

The first Filipino-born saint, Lorenzo Ruiz, was born on November 28, 1594 in Binondo, located in the capital of Manila. The Philippines is at that time ruled by the Spanish. He is raised to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother who were both Catholic. His father taught him Chinese while his mother taught him Tagalog.

In his youth, he served as an altar boy at the Binondo Church (aka Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz). Lorenzo earned the title of escribano (scrivener) after being educated by the Dominican friars for a few years because of his skillful penmanship. Later on, he became a member of the Confraternity of the Rosary (Cofradía del Santísimo Rosario). He married Rosario, a native, and they blessed with three children (two sons and a daughter), and they led a generally, peaceful, religious and content life.

Lorenzo's life turned forever in 1636, while serving as a clerk at the church, he was falsely accused of murdering a Spaniard. In order to escape execution, he sought asylum on board a ship with some other Dominican missionaries bound for Japan. They are: Antonio Gonzalez, who is one of the Thomasian Martyrs, Guillermo Courtet, who is the first Frenchman to have visited Japan, and three individuals who are part of the 16 Martyrs of Japan - Miguel de Aozaraza, Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz; and a lay leper Lázaro of Kyoto. Lorenzo and his companions sailed for Okinawa on June 10, 1636, with the aid of the Dominican fathers.

The Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868) was persecuting Christians, because they feared that was how the Spanish invaded the Philippines by using religion by the time Lorenzo had arrived in Japan. The missionaries were arrested and thrown into prison, and after two years, they were transferred to Nagasaki to face trial by torture. The group endured many and various cruel methods of torture. They were made to swallow pails of water that while some soldiers trampled on their belly, came out from their mouth, nose, and ears mixed with blood. Long needles were put in their fingers provoking agonizing pains.

On September 27, 1637, Lorenzo and his companions were taken to Nishizaka Hill, where they were tortured by being hung upside-down over a pit. This form of torture was known as tsurushi (釣殺し) in Japanese or horca y hoya ('gallows and pit') in Spanish. The method, alleged to have been extremely painful, had the victim bound; one hand was always left free so that the individual may signal their desire to recant, leading to their release. When the government officials asked: 'If we grant you life, will you renounce your faith?'

Lorenzo replied: "Ako ay Katoliko at buong puso kong tinatanggap ang kamatayan para sa Diyos. Kung mayroon akong isang libong buhay, iaalay ko lahat ito para sa Kanya!" (I am a Christian, and I shall die for God, and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do with me as you please!)

Ruiz refused to renounce Christianity and ultimately died from eventual blood loss and suffocation on September 29, 1637 at the age of 42 in Nagasaki, Hizen Province. His body was cremated and his ashes thrown into the sea. Two renegade priests, who worked as interpreters for the Japanese, were moved to repentance by his heroic faith. They took the first ship bound in Manila to report the whole story. In a sign of gratitude, the archbishop ordered all the bells of the city to ring in honor of him.

On February 18, 1981, Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified during John Paul II's papal visit to the Philippines, making the first beatification ceremony to be held outside the Vatican in history. Six years later on the feast of St. Luke - October 18th, he was canonized in the Vatican by the same pope in the Vatican, among the 16 Martyrs of Japan, making him the first Filipino saint. His canonization was supported by a miracle in October 1983, when Cecilia Alegria Policarpio of Calinog, Iloilo, was cured of brain atrophy (hydrocephalus) at the age of two, after her family and supporters prayed to Lorenzo for his intercession.