Peter Shirayanagi

{{Short description|Japanese Roman Catholic prelate (1928–2009)}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | honorific-prefix = His Eminence | name = Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi | honorific-suffix = | title = [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo|Archbishop emeritus of Tōkyō]] | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | church = [[Roman Catholic]] | archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo|Tokyo]] | province = | metropolis = | diocese = | see = | term_start = 21 February 1970 | term_end = 17 February 2000 | predecessor = [[Peter Doi]] | opposed = | successor = [[Peter Takeo Okada]] | other_post = Cardinal-Priest of Santa Emerenziana a Tor Fiorenza  | ordination = 21 December 1954 | consecration = 8 May 1966 | cardinal = 26 November 1994 | created_cardinal_by = [[John Paul II]] | rank = Cardinal  | birth_name = 白柳誠一 ''Shirayanagi Seiichi'' | birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|06|17|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Hachiōji, Tokyo]] [[Japan]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|12|30|1928|06|17|df=y}} | death_place = Tokyo, Japan | buried = | nationality = Japanese | religion = | residence = | parents = | spouse =  | children = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo|Auxiliary Bishop of Tōkyō]] (1966–1969) [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo|Coadjutor Archbishop of Tōkyō]] (1969–1970) | alma_mater = | motto = | signature = | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms = | coat_of_arms_alt =  | feast_day = | venerated = | saint_title = | beatified_date = | beatified_place = | beatified_by = | canonized_date = | canonized_place = | canonized_by = | attributes = | patronage = | shrine = | suppressed_date =  | other = }} {{infobox cardinalstyles| cardinal name=Peter Shirayanagi| dipstyle=His Eminence| offstyle=Your Eminence| See=Tokyo| image=Coat of arms of Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi.svg| image_size=180px}} '''Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi''' (白柳誠一 ''Shirayanagi Seiichi''; 17 June 1928 – 30 December 2009) was a [[Catholic Church in Japan|Japanese Catholic]] prelate who served as [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo|Archbishop of Tokyo]] from 1970 to 2000. He was made a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] in 1994, and also served as head of the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan]] from 1983 to 1992.

== Life == Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi was born in [[Hachiōji, Tokyo|Hachiōji]], [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]], 17 June 1928. Shirayanagi studied at [[Sophia University]], earning a degree in [[philosophy]] in 1951 and a specialization in [[theology]] in 1954. Ordained a priest on 21 December 1954 at [[Kanda, Tokyo|Kanda]] Catholic Cathedral. From 1954 to 1957 he served in pastoral ministry in the archdiocese of Tōkyō. He then went to study at the [[Pontifical Urban University]] in [[Rome]], earning a doctorate in [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|Canon law]] in 1960.<ref name=holysee>[https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_shirayanagi_ps.html "Shirayanagi, Card. Peter Seiichi", Holy See]</ref>

Consecrated [[titular Bishop]] of [[Atenia (Pisidia)|Atenia]] and Auxiliary of [[Tokyo]] in 1966, he was named titular Archbishop of Castro and [[Coadjutor Archbishop]] of the Tokyo Archdiocese in 1969, and succeeded to the post of [[Archdiocese of Tokyo|Archbishop of Tokyo]] in 1970.<ref name=holysee/> He attended the Second Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Vatican City, from 30 September to 6 November 1971.

As archbishop, he was representative director of the Juridical Foundation of Tokyo Caritas House. He continued the Tokyo Archdiocesan Convention, implementing the decrees of the [[Second Vatican Council]].<ref name=holysee/> From 1983 to 1992, he presided over the [[Japan]]ese Catholic [[Bishops' conference]], which opened the [[Catholic Church in Japan|Japanese Catholic]] Center in Tokyo in 1990. Also in 1990 the Archbishop told the Italian periodical ''[[30 Days (magazine)|30 Giorni]]'', that "the events of [[Our Lady of Akita|Akita]] are no longer to be taken seriously."<ref>Paci, Stefano M., "The Tears of Akita", ''30 Giorni'', July -August 1990, p. 45</ref> In 1981, Archbishop Shirayanagi organized events connected to the first papal visit to Japan. In 1989 he led a group to visit the Catholic Church in [[China]].

In 1994, [[Pope John Paul II]] created him a Cardinal with the title of [[Cardinal-Priest]] of ''[[Santa Emerenziana a Tor Fiorenza]]''. On 12 June 2000, he retired as archbishop of Tokyo. He was one of the [[Cardinal electors in the 2005 papal conclave|cardinal electors]] who participated in the [[2005 papal conclave]] that selected [[Pope Benedict XVI]].<ref name=Miranda>{{cite web|authorlink=Salvador Miranda (historian) |last=Miranda |first=Salvador |title=SHIRAYANAGI, Peter Seiichi (1928-2009)|url=https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1994.htm#Shirayanagi|work=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church |accessdate=|publisher=[[Florida International University]]|oclc=53276621}}</ref> On 24 November 2008 in Nagasaki, he represented the Pope, presiding over the beatification ceremony of the [[Martyrs of Japan#188 Martyrs of Japan (1603–1639)|188 Martyrs of Japan]].<ref name=pime/>

Cardinal Shirayanagi was hospitalized at the beginning of August 2009 for cardiac arrhythmia, then suffered a light [[cerebral hemorrhage]]. On 23 December he moved to Loyola House, a [[Jesuit]] home for aged priests in Tokyo, where he died on 30 December. The funeral service was held at [[St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo]].<ref name=Miranda/> [[Pope Benedict XVI]] recalled Cardinal Shirayanagi's continued commitment "to spreading the Gospel, .... his work promoting justice and peace and his tireless efforts for the refugees."<ref name=pime>[https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Telegram-from-the-pope-on-the-death-of-Card.-Shirayanagi-17242.html "Telegram from the pope on the death of Card. Shirayanagi", PIME – AsiaNews, 31 December 2009]</ref>

Shirayanagi was an honorary member of [[AV Edo-Rhenania zu Tokio]], a Catholic student [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternity]] that is affiliated with [[Cartellverband]].

== Notes == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{wikiquote|Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi}} {{commonscat}}

* [https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=1260 Shirayanagi, Peter. "A Fertile Encounter of Faith and Culture", ''L'Osservatore Romano'', 22 September 1999] * {{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bshir|Peter Seiichi Cardinal Shirayanagi|21 January 2015}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shirayanagi, Peter}} [[Category:1928 births]] [[Category:2009 deaths]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II]] [[Category:Japanese cardinals]] [[Category:People from Hachiōji, Tokyo]] [[Category:Sophia University alumni]] [[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Japan]] [[Category:20th-century cardinals]] [[Category:21st-century cardinals]]