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Sotome Pilgrimage sites

 

Sotome is located between Nagasaki City and Saikai City, and faces the East
China Sea. During the ban on Christianity from the 17th century to the end of
the 19th century, Sotome was home to communities of “Hidden Christians.
” Many emigrated there from other parts of Nagasaki, as the remote region
allowed them to practice their religion in secret.
 
French missionary Father Marc Marie de Rotz played a large role in
reestablishing the religion in the area. He established Shitsu Church on
a hill overlooking the sea.

 

 

Shitsu Church

On an elevation commanding a view over the Sea of Goto, Father Marc

Marie de Rotz established the church at his own expense in 1882.

The building was extended and renovated over the years.

A statue of Mary that he ordered from France stands in the bell tower.

 

 

Former Shitsu Aid Center        

Driven by his desire to save the people of Sotome from poverty, Father

de Rotz established the Former Shitsu Aid Center. Today, this center is

indispensable when discussing the history and culture of the region.

 

 

Endo Shusaku Literary Museum         

As the setting for Shusaku Endo’s acclaimed novel “Silence,” Sotome is

blessed with a unique Christian history and culture. In particular, the area

where the Shusaku Endo Literary Museum stands is widely known as

the model for the Christian village depicted in “Silence,” one of Endo’s

most notable masterpieces.

 
 

The church is located in the Kurosaki district, which served as the setting for

Shusaku Endo’s novel “Silence.” In 1897, the foundations were laid

according to Father de Rotz’s design. Construction followed, and the church

was completed in 1920. The parishioners built it brick by brick with their

own hands. The modest design serves to bring out the beauty of the bricks.

 
 

 

Saint Filippo de Jesus Church ( Japan 26 Saints Memorial Church )

 

Designed by Kenjiro Imai, this church features Gaudi-style twin towers and
was built next to the Nishizaka Martyrdom site.
 
When plans were made to build a memorial hall for the 26 Japanese Saints
next to the Nishizaka Martyrdom site, a generous donation was received from
Mexico, leading to the church’s construction in 1962.
 
This church is dedicated to Felipe de Jesús, the first Mexican saint and one of
the 26 Martyrs of Japan. He was a Franciscan Catholic missionary who
sacrificed his life here.

 

 

 

Urakami Cathedral

 

Construction of the original Urakami Cathedral, a brick Romanesque

building, began in 1895 after the long-standing ban on Christianity was

lifted.

When completed in 1914, it was the largest Catholic church in East Asia.

 

 

The atomic bomb that detonated on August 9, 1945, exploded in Urakami,

just 500 meters from the cathedral, completely destroying it. The remains

of the original cathedral are now on display at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb

Museum.

A replacement church was built in 1959 and was remodeled in

1980 to more closely resemble the original brick building.

 

 

The nearby the Ground Zero in Peace Park contains remnants of the

Ruins of Urakami Cathedral.

 

 

Endo Shusaku Literary Museum

 

Sotome is a peaceful area in Nagasaki City, renowned as the setting

for Shusaku Endo’s acclaimed novel “Silence.” The region is blessed

with abundant natural beauty encompassing the sea, mountains, and

rivers, alongside a unique Christian history and culture. In particular,

the area where the Shusaku Endo Literary Museum stands is widely

known as the model for the hidden Christian village depicted in

“Silence,” one of Endo’s most notable masterpieces.

 

 

The literary museum offers a magnificent, panoramic view. One can
witness the sun as it majestically sets over the Sea of Goto, along with
the “Silence” Literary Monument in Shitsu Culture Village.
 
Shusaku Endo and the Sotome area are deeply linked through “Silence.
” This profound bond, forged while Endo was writing the novel, continues
to this day and is beautifully preserved through the establishment of
this literary museum.

 

 

Following Shusaku Endo’s death, this Literary Museum was established

thanks to the generosity of his family. It is filled with Endo’s personal

belongings, mementoes, manuscripts, and his extensive collection of

books.

The museum’s exhibits trace the footsteps of Shusaku Endo as one of

Japan’s greatest literary figures. In addition, the facility collects, preserves,

and exhibits research materials for public perusal, operating as an

information center for his life and works.

 

 

Note : “Silence” by Shusaku Endo

“Silence” is a 1966 novel of theological fiction by author Shusaku Endo,
published in English by Peter Owen Publishers. It is the story of a Jesuit
missionary sent to 17th-century Japan, who endures persecution in the time
of Hidden Christians that followed the defeat of the Shimabara Rebellion.
 
The recipient of the 1966 Tanizaki Prize, it has been called “Endo’s supreme
achievement” and “one of the twentieth century’s finest novels.” Written
partly in the form of a letter by its central character, the theme of a silent
God who accompanies a believer in adversity was greatly influenced by
the Catholic Endo’s experience of religious discrimination in Japan, racism
in France, and a debilitating bout with tuberculosis.

 

 

 

Saint Kolbe Memorial Museum, at Hongouchi Church

 

Father Maximilian Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894 and was a priest of the
Conventual Franciscans. He was active in promoting the veneration of the
Immaculate Virgin Mary.
 
He arrived in Japan in 1930, where he began educating seminarians and
publishing a monthly magazine titled “The Knight of the Immaculata.
 
” Following this, as more Japanese people came to understand God’s
teachings, Hongochi Church was established in 1931.

 
After six years in Japan, he returned to Poland due to poor health. Later,
during World War II, he volunteered to die in place of a stranger named
Franciszek Gajowniczek at the Auschwitz concentration camp in
German-occupied Poland.
 
The Saint Kolbe Memorial Museum was built in 1986 to commemorate
his canonization.

 

 

 

Ruins of Urakami Cathedral

 

If you look to the right while facing the Ground Zero Monument, you will see

a section of the damaged brick wall from the former Urakami Cathedral.

The church was originally located about 500 meters northeast of the epicenter,

on the same site as the modern, rebuilt Urakami Cathedral.

The construction of the original building began in 1895 and continued until

1925, when the twin steeples were finally completed.

 

Ruin of destroyed Urakami

Cathedral

Ruin of destroyed Urakami

Cathedral

Present Urakami Cathedral
 

Known at that time as the largest church in the Orient, the imposing red-brick

structure was devastated by the atomic bomb explosion, which tragically

killed a large number of parishioners. In 1958, an 11-meter-tall section of the

damaged southern wall was relocated to the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park.

The cathedral was later rebuilt in honor of those who were lost; it was

reconstructed in 1959 and further renovated in 1980 to restore its brick

appearance, just a year before the Pope’s historic visit.

 

 

 

Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan

 

Nishizaka Hill in Nagasaki is the site where 26 Catholics, including Paulo Miki,

were crucified on February 5, 1597. Arrested in Kyoto and Osaka by order of

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, they were forced to march 800 km in the snow to their

execution

 

From the cross, Paul Miki declared:
“All of you who are here, please listen to me. I am Japanese by birth and
a brother of the Society of Jesus. I have committed no crime; the only reason
I am being put to death is that I have taught the doctrine of our Lord Jesus
Christ. I am deeply happy to die for this cause, and I see my death as a great
blessing from the Lord.　At this critical moment, when you can be assured
that I will not try to deceive you, I want to emphasize and make it unmistakably
clear that man can find no way to salvation other than the Christian way.
Since the Christian law commands us to forgive our enemies and those who
have wronged us, I declare here that I forgive Taikosama (Hideyoshi)

 

Then, they all ascended to heaven with the happiness of giving their lives

to Christ.

 

Nishizaka hill, the site of

Martyrdom in 1597

The martyrs said that 

” All people, bless God ! ”  

The 26 Japanese martyrs have 

been canonized in 1862
 
The 26 Japanese Martyrs were canonized by Pope Pius IX in 1862. In 1950,
Pope Pius XII designated the site of their martyrdom on Nishizaka Hill as an
official pilgrimage site for Catholics. The location was later recognized as a
Historic Site by Nagasaki Prefecture in 1956, and the monument dedicated
to them was erected on June 10, 1962.
 
 
The Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum
Located right behind the monument, the museum is devoted to the memory of
the martyrs and the history of Christianity in Japan. Its interior, reminiscent of
a church with beautiful stained-glass windows, creates a serene atmosphere
for viewing the exhibits. On display are various artifacts related to early
Japanese Christianity, including historical documents, statues, and religious
items.

 

 

 

 

 

The 26 Martyrs Museum

 

The 26 Martyrs Museum is dedicated to the 26 Christians who were executed
here on February 5, 1597. The group included both foreign missionaries and
Japanese laymen. Missionary activities were prohibited at the time, and
Japan’s ruler, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ordered the execution as a warning to
others. The monument is located in a small park on a hill just a short distance
from Nagasaki Station, offering lovely views over the city.
A straight red line runs from the monument across the park’s plaza, pointing
directly toward Oura Cathedral on the other side of the city. Notably,
Oura Cathedral is also dedicated to the 26 martyrs.

 

 

The museum behind the monument is devoted to the memory of the martyrs and

the history of Christianity in Japan. Its interior is reminiscent of a church, complete

with beautiful stained-glass windows that create a serene atmosphere for viewing

the exhibits. On display are various artifacts related to early Japanese Christianity,

including historical documents, statues, and religious items.

 

 

 

Oura Cathedral

 

The cathedral is one of the most significant Christian pilgrimage sites in Japan.

Established in 1865, this church is officially known as “Oura Cathedral, the

Church of the 26 Martyrs.” It was built by Father Bernard Petitjean, a French

priest from Fier, who had been dispatched by the Paris Foreign Missions Society

to offer prayers for the 26 saints martyred on Nishizaka Hill. For this reason,

the cathedral directly faces Nishizaka Hill. It was designated as a National

Treasure in 1933 in recognition of its historical value as Japan’s oldest

Gothic-style cathedral.

 

On March 17, 1865, a group of peasants from Urakami visited the church and

professed their secret faith to Father Petitjean, revealing that Christianity had

survived through centuries of intense persecution. The white marble statue of

the Holy Mother at the entrance was erected to commemorate this dramatic

discovery of the “Hidden Christians.

 

The cathedral also welcomed Pope John Paul II in 1981, followed by Mother
Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) in 1982.

 

Peace Park

 

The Peace Park was established in 1955 near ground zero, where an atomic bomb

was dropped at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945. The Peace Memorial Ceremony is

held in front of the statue on August 9 every year, during which the Mayor of

Nagasaki delivers the “Nagasaki Peace Declaration” to the world.

 

Peace Fountain

The Peace Fountain reminds us of the tragic scene unfolded shortly after America 

dropped the Atomic bomb in Nagasaki at 11:02 am on Aug. 09, 1945.

 

Bell of Nagasaki

 

Peace Statue

The Peace Statue was completed in 1955, ten years after the atomic bombing.

The 9.7-meter-high statue sits on a 4-meter-tall pedestal and was created by

the renowned sculptor Kitamura Seibo, who was born in Minami-Shimabara,

Nagasaki Prefecture, in 1884. Its raised right hand points to the threat of nuclear

weapons, while the outstretched left hand symbolizes eternal peace.

 

Monuments Donated from Around the World

 

 

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