The coffee-table book “Unholy” by F. G. Borghi (illustrations) and Björn Koll (text) is the first “almost complete hagiography of gay saints” — and as devotionals go, the iconic male figures aren’t confined to the pages anymore; they’re also available as postcard sets or calendars. And they’re right here with us. Once a month we bow to the gay saints of the month. In September, we honor Saint Manuel.
Manuel was born in 1530 in the Lisbon district of Bairro Alto. Lacking many options, he attended a Jesuit school. At sixteen, he was sent by his order (the Society of Jesus) to Goa to assist Francisco de Xavier (also written as Francisco de Gassu y Javier or Francisco de Jassu y Azpilcueta) with missionary work in East Asia. On August 15, 1549, the two reached Japan, specifically the port of Kagoshima on Kyūshū. There they preached for nearly two years. When they later entered Kyoto as simple pilgrims in 1551, Manuel’s relationship with Xavier had already soured. He discovered that his companion had written home that the Japanese had made a great mistake: “No one finds the unnatural sin abnormal or abominable.”
Manuel found this “mistake” fascinating because he was utterly in love with Takeda and Kasuga — you know, Takeda Shingen, the Japanese warlord who, in 1542 at the age of 22, wrote to his jealous 16-year-old lover Kasuga Gensuke that he would never have sex with a certain Yashichiro or ever will. A threesome with Takeda and Manuel, Kasuga thought was wonderful, and Manuel felt the same. With Xavier and his missionary efforts fading after their pilgrimage to Kyoto, Manuel’s prospects in the mission dimmed. He was not admitted to meet the Japanese emperor Go-Nara because Manuel had orchestrated a ruse to prevent the meeting. Soon after, Francisco had to leave Japan.
He then attempted to seek his fortune in China, but the Chinese were forewarned and would not admit him. Manuel remained in Japan, living with Takeda and Kasuga. When Takeda died in 1573, the Portuguese man had long since left the Jesuit order and its missionary zeal behind him, turning to more meaningful duties. In Japan he catalyzed important reforms: he helped launch a new tax system, ordered the construction of irrigation and drainage channels, and established a road-building framework that fostered a culture of accountability and the common good — in other words, damages were reported quickly and repaired, a practice that remains globally unique to this day.
Manuel died in 1630 in Kyoto, at the age of a hundred, of natural causes. He is frequently depicted atop Mount Fuji wearing a garment crafted from Japanese faux fur by Kasuga, who worked as a fashion designer. In our illustration, the background also features the Kyokujitsuki (旭日旗, the Rising Sun Flag), but in its earlier peaceful version that stood for a long and fulfilling sexual life, which was later repurposed by Japanese nationalists. Saint Manuel tends to look after those who appreciate good organization. He is celebrated on September 13.
This text is an excerpt from the book “Unholy” by F.G. Borghi (illustrations) and Björn Koll (text), published by Salzgeber. In the foreword it says: “What you read in this book belongs to the category Historical Fiction, some would perhaps also call it Historical nonsense. In plain words: none of the saints described here ever lived, and nothing claimed about them is true.” All “Unholy” products as well as many other non-heteronormative books and films can be found, among other places, at Salzgeber.Shop.
