Twelve places associated with the history of the persecution of Christians in the XVII-XIX in Japan, recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. According to local bishops, is the recognition of the history of Japanese Christianity, according to “Siberian Catholic newspaper.”?
Places associated with the history of “hidden” Christianity in Japan has proclaimed the common heritage of mankind. This decision on 30 June 2018 adopted the UNESCO Committee. The list includes twelve objects in Nagasaki and in the province of Amakusa, which are symbols of persecution during the Edo Period (1603-1867)
Cathedral of Nagasaki and the “Miracle of the East”
One of the objects is the Cathedral of Nagasaki, the oldest Christian Church in Japan, which belongs to the national heritage. Built 1864 by two French missionaries in honor of the 26 martyrs (9 of 16 Europeans and Japanese), he became famous for the event which Pope Pius called THEM “Miracle of the East”.
After the consecration of the Church the missionaries came a group of people from the settlement Urakami, asking permission to enter the temple “to honor Mary”. These were the descendants of the first Christians who were forced over the centuries to secretly live by his faith. They were followed by tens of thousands of catacomb Christians who, after visiting the Cathedral began to publicly practice Christianity.
Places of persecution
The list includes, among others, the remains of the castle of Gara, the place of the uprising of the Catholics in 1637, after which escalated prosecution, and settlement of Sakizou in Kumamoto Prefecture, where Christians secretly celebrated divine-services.
In an interview with Asia News Archbishop of Nagasaki Joseph’s mitsuaki Takami said that Christianity was persecuted in Japan for 250 years.
“Now it has gained recognition of its history, and many Japanese are becoming interested in Christianity. Many of them come to visit these places. For us it is an opportunity to evangelize”, he said, noting that the opening of the Christian history of Japan must also be involved and faithful: “we Need to know the history because it’s not the buildings are important, but the history behind them. We are talking about the history of the faith, which has universal value”.