Considering the greatness of Tecla Hashimoto and the seeming neglect she has received from the Modern Church (which neglect includes the downplaying or "burying" of her sacrifice) and from the world at large (to the extent that the world at large even knows about her), I have been thinking it would be a good idea to start a group called the "Devotees of Tecla Hashimoto" (DOTH) whose stated goal would be three-fold: 1) to spread knowledge of Tecla (and the 52 + 1 Martyrs of Kyoto); 2) to spread devotion to her (and to the same group of 52 + 1 Martyrs of Kyoto); and 3) to advocate for a special, exclusive feast day for her and the 52 + 1 Martyrs of Kyoto under the title "Tecla Hashimoto and Companions" on October 6, the day of her/their martyrdom (all of this with a very special consideration of and emphasis on the unborn child six months in her womb, represented by the "+1" of the title "52 + 1 Martyrs of Kyoto").


(As to the "+1" I mentioned above, if you are familiar with my Classic Tecla Site, you will know that the Modern Church has decided to not include the unborn child in the womb of Tecla in their count of "52" Martyrs (or in the "188" Martyrs in the group they call "Pedro Kibe and 187 Companions" that they have subsequently subsumed the 52 +1 Martyrs of Kyoto under); and this (as I've been told by one in high authority on the matter), is because the question is "External link opens in new tab or windowtoo philosophical."  Well, the stance I take is that the question of whether or not the unborn child in Tecla's womb is a martyr (or even a saint) is not "too philosophical," and should be considered from every possible angle (which we will do in this New Tecla Site as we began to do on the Classic Tecla Site); and -- if we cannot be sure that the child in Tecla's womb should also be counted as a martyr (and my own personal opinion is that the child probably should be) -- then we can at least include the child as "+1" in the group, so that he or she is at least acknowledged....)


As part of the  DOTH group, it would seem to be a good and holy thing to pray External link opens in new tab or windowthe Litany of Tecla Hashimoto every October 6th (preferably in groups of two or more, with the proper "Pray for us" response to each article of same); perhaps, with a nine-day novena of, say, praying External link opens in new tab or windowthe Pro-Life/Tecla Hashimoto Rosary prior to this day; and also, perhaps, with something like an eight-day Octave praying External link opens in new tab or windowthe Little Crown of the Japanese Martyrs after this day (which would only be done above and beyond all the feast days the Church has already set in place during this time).   Finally, if you would like to become a DOTH on a formal level, please contact me, so we know who you are and can start to network and share ideas -- but we also would be greatly pleased if you simply pursued your own private devotion.....: )


God bless and may Tecla bless you abundantly! : )


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--October 7, 2023, Feast of The Most Holy Rosary (along with Feasts of St. Mark and St. Sergius and Companions, Mm.....)


--Revised and Updated on March 1, 2024, Feria Day during Lent