Churches and Cathedrals
Nagasaki Port was opened and the first Portuguese ship arrived in 1571.
And development of the town of cape was started as Christian town in 1571 and
many Churches were constructed in Nagasaki.
However, due to the Tokugawa Shogunate’s Ban on Christianity in 1614, most
of the church buildings were destroyed.
Since ban on the Christianity was lifted in 1873, new Christian history in Japan has
begun and many Churches and Cathedrals have been constructed.
Oura Cathedral, in Nagasaki
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The Cathedral is one of the significant Christian Pilgrimage
site in Japan. Established 1865, this church is officially known
as “Oura Cathedral, the Church of 26 Martyrs.” It was built by
the French priest Bernard Petitjean of Fier who had been
dispatched by the Foreign Missionary Church of Paris to
dedicate prayers to the 26 saints martyred on Nishizaka hill.
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Urakami Cathedral, in Nagasaki
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Construction of the original Urakami Cathedral, a brick
Romanesque building, began in 1895, after a long-standing
ban on Christianity was lifted. When completed in 1914, it was
the largest Catholic church in East Asia.
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Nakamachi Church, in Nagasaki
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The church is located near JR Nagasaki Station which was
constructed for Japanese Christians in 1986. The church was
dedicated to the 16 Saints of Nagasaki (St. Thomas and the
15 Martyrs) in 1988, and the monument honoring them was
erected in the premise.
The 16 Saints were martyred in Nagasaki from 1633 to 1637.
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Saint Filippo de Jesus Church
( Japan 26 Saints Memorial Church )
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This is a church with Gaudi-style twin tower designed by
Kenjiro Imai, built next to the Nishizaka Martyrdom site.
When there was a plan to build a memorial hall for the
26 Japanese Saints next to ishizaka Martyrdon site, a large
donation was made from Mexico, and the Church was
built in 1962.
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Hongochi Church, Saint Kolbe Museum, in Nagasaki
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Father Maximilian Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894 and
was a priest of the Conventual Order of St. Francis.
He had been active in promoting the veneration of the
Immaculate Virgin Mary. He came to Japan in 1930 and
began educating seminarians and publishing a monthly
magazine ” the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.”
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Shitsu Church, in Sotome
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Built in 1882 by Father de Rotz, this low-ceiling church
features a brick exterior, wood interior and stone entranceway.
The roof itself is low in order to limit damage done by strong winds.
The church’s bell was brought here from France by a priest and
rings out beautifully every morning. The location is famous as
the place where the movie “Gege” was filmed.
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Kurosaki Church, in Sotome
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The Church is located in Kurosaki district, where was place of the
setting for Endo Shusaku’s novel Silence. In 1897, the
foundations were laid down according to Father de Rotz’s design.
Construction followed and in 1920 the church was completed.
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