The Roman Catholic Church on Monday held its first ever beatification ceremony in Japan, honoring 188 people who were executed centuries ago because of their religious beliefs.
The ceremony, held in a baseball stadium, was attended by an estimated 30,000 people.
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins delivered blessings on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI on those killed between 1603 and 1639. Beatification is a stage in Catholicism that comes before sainthood.