Tema: Oda Nobunaga: a visionary who was open to Christianity in the 16th century.

Shimabara

The single most significant Christian historical event in Shimabara was a rebellion in 1637. There was significant Christians history in the region before the most famous one. In 1576, Lord Arima was baptized a Christian and over 20,000 residents of his land were obligated to follow suit. From that time on, the peninsula had a strong and significant Christian population. The first persecutions to take place in the region during the new Tokugawa regime took place at the Arima River during 1613. The Martyrs endured the tortures and slow deaths with such vigor and courage that it galvanized the 20,000 onlookers. In hopes of being granted the position of daimyo Hasegawa, the governor of Nagasaki, sent 10,000 troops to torture and murder the Christians into submission. This act of terror simply strengthened the people’s resolve.
In 1616, a new ruler was appointed to the region, Shigemasa Matsukura. He moved his capitol to Shimabara in hopes of succeeding his predecessors who had failed in crushing the Christians. The people of Shimabara were forced to build a new castle for the daimyo. It took 7 years of labor, step taxes, tortures and severe punishments to finish the construction. When the peasants could not pay the taxes, their wives and daughters where taken and subjected to many forms of torture. These types of harsh punishments worsened when Iemitsu Tokugawa became Shogun. Martyrdoms and persecution were everywhere.
In 1637, the economic and religious conditions were no longer bearable for the people of Shimabara. Disenfranchised samurai, who had been denied their rank because of their religion, and Christian peasants gathered supporters. These rebels held Hara castle and its surrounding areas for four months against government troops. The Dutch were employed by the Tokugawa government to cut off the rebels’ food and water supplies. The rebellion ended soon thereafter. All the rebels were killed: 17,000 men and 20,000 women and children. Christians all over Japan had to go underground if they hadn’t already done so. The persecutions continued for 250 years. The Tokugawa government was frightened by the rebellion and disliked foreign influence. They closed their borders to outsiders, save for the Dutch who were allowed to live on the man-made island of Dejima in Nagasaki. The period leading up to and after the rebellion was the time that the Underground and Hidden Christians lived.

Back to Shimabara overview

Our group was allowed to see and take pictures in the museum inside of Shimabara castle. The museum has exhibits from the different time periods of Shimabara's history. Show here are the swords and scabbard of a samurai from Shimabara.

Samurai armor was also on display. These are the weapons and armor that would have been used by the samurai during the rebellion in 1637.

Here is a fumie, used to draw out Christians every New Years Day. Every one in an area would have to stamp on an image of Christ or Mary to prove they were not Christians.

The very visible crosses on these weapons were commissioned by a christian samurai.

This pottery was also commissioned by christian, most likely by a samurai.

Here is another Fumie.

These are small symbols used by hidden Christians much like the Maria Canon. They looked like buddhist images but held different significance for the Christians.



These are christian's graves just our side of Shimabara castle.







This pillar notes that they are christian graves.

This is a shot of our group in front of the Shimabara Castle that has the museum inside. You can see the pillar and graves to the left of us.

We then went to Shimabara Catholic Church to hear more about the history of christianity in Shimabara.


The inside of the church itself was unique. The circular layout and art work were different from any other churches we stopped at during our study.

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This is a replica of a fumie. Fumie were tools of spiritual torture. They were first used in 1626; every New Years Day everyone was forced to step on an image of Christ or Mary to prove they were not Christians. In some one refused to step on they and they family were put to death. The hidden Christians used a special prayer to ask forgiveness each time they were forced to step on the fumie.

The stain glass tell the story of Christianity in Shimabara. It starts with birth of Christ.

Depicted here is Christianity coming to Shimabara with Father Alessandro Valignano and Luis Almeida. With the work of Valignano Arima became the center of Japanese Christian culture. He used his knowledge of medicine to help people and taught not only religion but also music gymnastics japanese history, culture and literature were taught. He shared the most advanced studies from Europe.

In the 1580's four young seminarians went on the first diplomatic mission from Japan to Europe. The four young men are seen here.

The story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. In this story Jesus prepares for his own death. This scene offers a poignant comparison to the preparations martyrs in Shimabara made.

The Golden age of Christianity in Japan was not to last for ever. We can see people watching their friends and loved ones be forced to renounce their faith or be drowned in the Arima river.

This scene shows christians being burned at the stake along the Arima river. We can see a woman on the left whose son ran to her as she burned. Her hand and face are raised to heaven.

This window shows the Martyrdom of Paulo Uchibori and other faithful being lead to Unsen to be torture in the hot springs and thrown off cliffs.

The last window shows Christ in more of a typical portrayal with the Japanese people in the Marriage Banquet with the Resurrected Christ.

This flag is a recreation of the flag of the Shimabara rebellion. It depicts two angels worshipping the Eucharist. It says in Portuguese, "Praised be the most holy sacrament."

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This statue on the outside of the church depicts Paul Uchibori youngest son the age of five who showed no sign of pain when his hands were maimed. All of Paul's children had all but their thumbs and pinkies removed because the in the soldier's eyes Christians were less than animals so they should have less fingers than animals.

Another statue portrays Valignano helping the sick.

From the Church we went to the ruins of Hara Castle, the site of the Shimabara rebellion. We were lead by Shinji Matsumoto the historian in charge of the excavation hara castle and running Hara Culture Center. Mr. Matsumoto show us around the excavation and the culture center.

Some areas just look like fields, others have masonry or even bones of people killed in the rebellion.











Here are bones at the excavation.



Mr. Matsumoto explains the various parts of the excavation and significant parts of each.

Here is our group in front of a statue of the leader of the Shimabara Rebellion, 16 yearold Shio Tokisada.


Many of the rebels placed crosses and medals images of Mary in there mouths so if they died the governments troops wouldn't know to strip them of these sacred symbols. This picture shows teeth around a medal.

Here is a cross next to what looks to be a jaw bone.



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At the Hara Culture Center we were able to see much of what had been recovered at the excavation. Here is some pottery that was recovered at Hara. The porcelain plates were found in the main enclosure of the Hara Castle ruins. This porcelain was made in the kilns of Jingdezhen in China between 1590 and 1630. The characters on the middle of the plate saying tenka ichi meaning number one under heaven. During the warring state period this was a favorite phrase of generals like Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During that time there was a system of checks in place that ensured that only generals could use this phrase. After Hideyoshi's death the upper class could used it as well. The Tokugawa Shogunate outlawed the use of tenka-ichi once again in 1682.

Here are other pieces of porcelain that were fired in the Jigndezhen kilns in the Jianxi provence in China. That pottery district provided the royal court of China with it's porcelain and was a stand out in China in the industry. The existence of this pottery speaks to the prosperity of the region and the amount of trade going on in Arima.

Here are many of the medals recovered from the excavation.





This is one of the crosses found. It is said that the rebels would melt down the bullets that were shot at them by the government troops and fashion them into crosses.



Here are some of those same bullets and possible a cross made of some.









This is one of the more stunning pieces in the centers collection. It is an ornately decorated cross with intricate details all over. It also has volume which shows even more craftsmanship.



Many remains were found at Hara Castle. The government troops killed 37,000 people once they were able to gain the upper hand. Here are some of the skulls and other remains found. You can see on some, the trauma sustained.






Here is one of the canon balls used by the Dutch. The Dutch were commissioned by the Bakufu to cut of the rebels food supplies and help crush the rebellion. Dutch ships bombarded the castle and cut off the rebels. With no food or water the rebel couldn't last any longer. The government troops burned the castle to the ground and took apart much of its masonry. They also killed all of the rebels including women and children. For the next 250 years Christians were forced to flee and hide horrible punishments and tortures because of their beliefs.

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Here is a larger collection of bullets from the rebellion.



After the Hara Culture Center we went to see some sacred spaces for hidden Christians in Shimabara.






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Tsuwano

In 1864, French Catholic missionary Bernard Thadee Petitjean opened the Oura Catholic Church. After the completion of the Church, some of the underground Christians from Urakami confided in Petitjean by telling him that they were Christian and had been practicing the religion in secret. This was the first confirmation the Church had of remaining Christians in Japan that had stayed underground for 250 despite punishment of torture and death. Petitjean convinced some of the underground Christians from Urakami to openly follow their beliefs. By doing so, the group from Urakami went against Tokugawa religion control policy. 3400 of these Christians were arrested. While some of the Urakami villagers were imprisoned and tortured, many were sent to Tsuwano. In Tsuwano, some of the exiles were tortured and 36 were eventually put to death. Even after the transfer to the Meiji government, it wasn’t until pressure from the West mounted that the exiles were allowed to return home in 1873. In 1889, the Japanese constitution granted religious freedom. Today there is a Church and museum in Tsuwano remembering the martyrs and all of the pains endured by the Christians.



On the way to Tsuwano we stopped in Yamaguchi to see the Catholic church there. Here is a Statue of Mary and Jesus on the way up to the church.

Just out side is a statue of St. Francis Xavier who brought Christianity to Japan in 1549.

Here is another statue of the Saint that is more part of the church. The inside of the church does allow photographs but it contains a small museum much of which explain the history of Xavier.

There is a small shrine outside the church as well. The Church that we saw in Yamaguchi was a new rebuilt building. The previous one burnt down under mysterious circumstances some years before considering the church is right next to the fire station.



After exploring the church and its museum in Yamaguchi we proceeded on to Tsuwano.

This is a small church on the outskirts of Tsuwano. It is a memorial to the Christians that were imprisoned and tortured here.

Here are the stain glasses of the church. They depict the suffering of Christians in Japan.









This statue is of a man that saw a vision of Mary while he was places in a three foot by three foot by three foot cage.


Here is a depiction of the vision that he had of Mary helping the people.

Some of the graves next to this site could be the graves of persecuted Christians.




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From the small church an graveyard, there is a path or small pilgrimage to another site for Christians. Along the path are the fourteen stations of the cross with descriptions in Japanese.



























At the end of the walk with the stations of the cross you come to another Christian shrine of sorts with a few statues and carvings.



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Back in Tsuwano proper we stopped at the Catholic church. Next to the church was a small museum about the sufferings of the Christians in Tsuwano.

Here is the inside of the Church complete with tatami mats.



This is a Maria Canon used by hidden Christians to worship but still not have a overtly Christian image. The Maria Canon was common in many areas.

This fumie would have been used to search out Christians. Every New Years day everyone would be forced to tread on an image of Christ of Mary, if they didn't they and their family were killed.

Here is an original sign declaring that Christianity is being outlawed.

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JAPANESE CRYPTOCHRISTIAN ARTIFACTS

From the Wikimedia commons:



A fumi-ye tablet that suspected Christians were forced to trample.



A Buddha statue with a concealed crucifix on its back.

The LION & the CARDINAL

SHIMABARA REBELLION



Buddhist statues destroyed by the Christian rebels of Shimabara in 1637.

The LION & the CARDINAL

Un libro muy interesante sobre el asunto:

Francis Britto's Brittopia: Laures, "Xavier in Yamaguchi"

On August 15, 1549, the first Christian missionary, St. Francis Xavier of the Society of Jesus, landed in Japan. The 400th anniversary of that memorable day is to be celebrated in 1949 in Tokyo, Nagasaki and Kyoto-Osaka, the three great Catholic centers of Japan. Remarkable, however, is the fact that such cities as Kagoshima and Yamaguchi, where there are only a small number of Catholics, are endeavoring to outdo the larger Catholic circles in their homage to and gratitude toward the first preacher of the Gospel in this country and first hero of the "glorious Martyr Church of Japan." With boundless love and tireless patience, St. Francis Xavier won many a convert in this country where Christianity had never before been taught. And if the holy father loved the Japanese and their beautiful country, he loved the city of Yamaguchi more than any other place, for the fruit of his activities was richest in that city.
The first Japanese whom Xavier met was Yajiro, a samurai of Kagoshima. How Yajiro was introduced by George Alvarez to the "Santo Padre" at Malacca is too well known a story to be repeated here. Suffice it to say that Xavier was enthusiastic about Yajiro's curiosity, good common sense and charming personality and that he wrote to his Society in Europe, "If all the Japanese are as eager to learn as Yajiro, they will be the most remarkable of all races in the world." When Xavier asked Yajiro whether many Japanese would desire to become Christian, if he were to go with him to Japan, Yajiro replied, according to the record preserved, that "they would not at once accept the Christian faith, but would first ask him questions, examine his answers and, above all, try to see if his conduct was in conformity with his teaching. If his answers satisfied them and if they found nothing blameworthy in his conduct, all the nobility and the intellectuals, and even the Emperor would be willing within one year to receive baptism, for they are people guided only by reason."
Thereupon Xavier planned a missionary expedition to Japan, with Yajiro and his two companions who had been instructed in the fundamentals of the Christian religion and received into the Church. On June 24, 1549, Xavier set out from Malacca, accompanied by two European companions, three Japanese who had been prepared for the work of catechists, and two Indian servants. They landed at Kagoshima, Yajiro's birthplace, on August 15 of the same year. His ambition was to obtain permission from the Emperor to preach the Gospel and convert the Japanese in any part of the country. Shimazu Takahisa, Daimyo of Satsuma, greatly rejoiced to receive the foreign preacher and was anxious to keep him in Kagoshima, for he secretly hoped to attract Portuguese ships to his harbors by the presence of foreign missionaries. Xavier waited more than a year but seeing Shimazu was not interested in his journey to the capital, he left Kagoshima to proceed to Hirado, a port frequented by Portuguese ships. Nor did he linger at Hirado long but set out for Kyoto, the capital arriving on the way at Yamaguchi in the middle of November, 1549.
Yamaguchi was at that time a very important town, being the seat of the mighty Ouchi clan which ruled not only the Province of Suwo but also a number of neighboring provinces on the mainland of Honshu and the island of Kyushu. Having learned that Ouchi, the head of the clan was the slave of a most abominable vice, Xavier determined to stay in the city for some time to preach the Gospel. Every day, he and his companion, Brother Fernandez, took their stand at a crossroads, Brother Fernandez reading a passage from the handwritten catechism prepared by Xavier and Yajiro while they were at Kagoshima. After reading the account of the creation of the world, Fernandez would denounce in a loud voice what he believed to be the three cardinal sins of the Japanese people, viz. idolatry, sodomy and infanticide. While he was inveighing against these vices, Xavier would stand by and pray fervently for the success of their mission. This was done twice every day and always in a different section of the city so that very soon there was no corner in Yamaguchi where the word of God was not heard.
The effect of their sermons was manifold; some Japanese were angry at the preachers because of their bold attacks on the Japanese deities, others were impressed by the beauty of the Christian doctrine, while others made fun of them on account of their strange appearance, poor apparel and uncouth Japanese speech. When they passed through the streets the children would throw stones at them, and the common people would mock at them saying, "These are the people who say that we must adore God in order to be saved." Or again, "These men preach that a man must have but one wife." Soon, the foreign preachers and their doctrine became the object of public interest as well as city gossip.
Among the hearers, there were a number of noblemen who invited the strangers into their homes, either to make fun of them, or to learn about foreign lands, or to know the truth of their faith. Naito Takaharu, one of those noblemen, was their genuine friend and showed them great kindness. By his good office, they obtained an audience with the lord of the province, Ouchi Yoshitaka. The prince spoke kindly to them, asked a few questions about India and then wanted to lean about the new religion. Thereupon Brother Fernandez read from his catechism. When he came to the passage where the unnatural vice of sodomy was denounced relentlessly, Ouchi, evidently embarrassed and angered at the preacher's words, gave a sign that the audience was ended and that the foreign preachers should withdraw. Fernandez, who had noticed the prince's resentment, feared his retaliation, banishment or execution at the worst, but nothing of the sort happened.
They continued their daily lessons at the Crossroads and were still invited to the homes of the Samurai classes. Nevertheless, the results of their efforts were very discouraging; not a few were delighted in hearing the account of the life of Christ and often moved to tears when the preachers spoke of His passion, but only very few asked for baptism. Undoubtedly, the ungracious and abrupt dismissal from the daimyo's presence had become widely known, so that few had enough courage to incur the displeasure of their prince by accepting the new religion.
Realizing the futility of his efforts Xavier at last resolved to leave Yamaguchi and to continue his journey to the court of the Emperor. He left the city eight days before Christmas. It is a well-known fact that at Kyoto he was no more successful than he had been at Yamaguchi. He not only failed in his attempt to see the Emperor, but could not even find an audience willing to listen to his sermon, so that after a short stay of eleven days he again left the capital. Yet he had learned much from his sad experience. He had found out that the Emperor possessed no real power and consequently imperial permission would have been of little avail. He, moreover, learned that one of most powerful men in Japan was the Daimyo of Yamaguchi and, consequently, resolved to approach him a second time. Realizing, however, that his poor appearance as well as his severe critical attitude had been the cause of the failure of his first visit, he saw that if his efforts were to succeed this time, a radical change of method was imperative.
When Xavier started on his journey to Japan, the Viceroy of India, Gracia de Sa, had charged him as his ambassador with an official message to the Emperor of Japan, and the Bishop of Goa, Joan d'Albuquerque, had also made him his official envoy. In their instructions, beautifully written on parchment, they offered the ruler of Japan the friendship of the King of Portugal, requesting the former to receive the preachers of the "Law of God." In order to make sure of the success of his mission Xavier had taken with him a good many presents for the Emperor, which the generous governor of Malacca, Pedro de Silva, had bestowed upon him. Now that his plan of a visit to the Emperor had failed, Xavier resolved to bring to Ouchi Yoshitaka the messages of the Viceroy of India and of the Bishop of Goa and offer him the presents he had brought from Malacca. Having donned a robe befitting an official ambassador and accompanied by Brother Fernandez and two Japanese Christians as his suite, he set out for Yamaguchi for the second time.
The fact that both Xavier and Ouchi were great men was chiefly responsible for the success of the former's mission. Xavier, who desired nothing but the salvation of souls and the propagation of the Gospel, did not hesitate to appear before the man who had so ungraciously dismissed him a few months before. Nor did Ouchi entertain any grudge against the foreigner who had so boldly denounced his vice. Ouchi accepted the letters from the Viceroy and the bishop and the presents, which were thirteen in all: an artistically ornamented clock, a music box, a beautifully finished rifle with three barrels, a pair of spectacles, a mirror, gold brocade cloth and other Portuguese fabrics, Portuguese wine, three costly bottles, tea cups, books, pictures and other things. In return the prince offered many valuable gifts, including a great amount of gold and silver. Xavier, however, accepted no gift but the prince's permission to preach freely among his people. This favor was granted to Xavier. Moreover, Ouchi assigned a former monastery as the residence of Xavier and his companions and, a few months later, donated a piece of land for the construction of a church and a convent. In the streets of the city, official signboards were posted stating that the prince of the city was glad to have the Law of God taught to his subjects, that anyone who wished to embrace the new religion was free to do so, and that anyone who molested or injured the foreign preachers was punished with heavy penalties. When the prince's favor was made public, large crowds of people flocked to Xavier's residence from morning till night, asking him questions and delighting in his teaching. Among such audiences were many bonzes and noblemen. Their first questions were about the shape of the earth, the movements of the sun, and the comets, about lightening and thunder, snow and rain, etc. They showed great joy and satisfaction at Xavier's answers and respected him as a great scholar. From such topics, Xavier soon passed over to religious matters. Very soon their discussion came to be centered on religious subjects alone and some of his audience began to doubt the truth of their sects and admitted the superiority of the Christian religion. Nevertheless, it was long before they asked for baptism. It was the heroic act of patience demonstrated by Brother Fernandez that brought about the first baptism of a Japanese convert.
When Brother Fernandez was preaching in the street one day, a ruffian interrupted his sermon and finally spat him in the face. Without showing the least sign of anger, Fernandez took out his handkerchief, wiped his face and continued his preaching. A man in his audience, who had often jeered at him, followed the brother after his sermon was finished to the missionaries' residence and asked Xavier to prepare him for baptism. His example was followed by many others, with the result that the number of Christians in the city steadily increased. Curiously enough, those who had argued with violence and hostility were the first to be baptized. "It was," wrote Xavier of those days, "something almost incredible to hear the Law of God discussed in almost all the houses in such a large city." Within two months, 500 persons were baptized, while the number of neophytes increased daily.
It was but natural that opposition soon began to arise. One day, Xavier paid the prince his third visit to show him a most beautifully adorned edition of the Bible and a gold-brocade vestment. When the holy father put the vestment on, the prince was so delighted that he clapped his hands, exclaiming, "This father indeed looks like a living representative of one of our gods." Thereupon one of the bonzes of the Shingon Sect, who happened to be present, asked Xavier if the God he worshiped had any shape or color. Xavier's answer was that He had none, being a pure spirit. Then the bonze further questioned about His origin. Xavier replied that God existed by virtue of His divine essence and that consequently He was almighty, omniscient and eternal. Upon hearing this, the bonze remarked that although their teachings differed, their fundamentals were in substance identical. Later, Xavier was invited to the Shingon monasteries and received by the bonzes, with great respect.
Xavier greatly marveled, wondering if it might not be possible that the Christian faith had been taught in Japan centuries before. To find out whether the bonzes knew the fundamental dogmas of the Christian creed, he asked them about the mysteries but the bonzes only laughed at him, which showed that they knew nothing about what he asked. Thus Xavier came to the conclusion that the similarity between their creed and his was merely superficial. Upon Yajiro's advice, he had until then used for the word "God" the Buddhist term "Dainichi" (the Great Sun). Believing that the Dainichi was the almighty creator of heaven and earth, Xavier had been preaching to the people to worship the Dainichi. With the help of some of his educated converts, Xavier began to study the teaching of the Shingon Sect and found out that the Dainichi was entirely different from the God of the Christians, the Dainichi representing merely the material element of all objects. Therefore he adopted for the word of "God" the Latin word "Deus". The friendship of the bonzes now came to an abrupt end with the result that they became his bitter enemies.
Meanwhile, on learning of the fabulous rebirth of Gautama and Amitabha and the latter's alleged penance for the redemption of his followers, Xavier wrote refutation on the errors in the Buddhist creed and denounced the sale by the bonzes of the "magic passports" to heaven. In dismay, the bonzes sent the most learned man of their sleet to refute Xavier's contention. Their attempt having ended in failure, the bonzes began to say that the Christian God was a demon and that his very name "Daiuso," a malignant distortion of "Deus", was a proof that he was an imposter. Despite such cowardly attack by the bonzes, the number of Christians in Yamaguchi showed a marked increase every year.
However, among the bonzes, especially among the adherents of the Zen Sect, were some who honestly sought for the truth. Xavier himself related a very interesting case of a learned Zen priest, who had studied at the famous Buddhist Academy of Ashikaga. After having found no truth in the teaching of his sect, the man left the monastery where he had spent so many years and got married. After hearing Xavier preach, he immediately asked for baptism, saying that he had at last found the true Creator of the world. The conversion of this learned scholar filled the Christians of Yamaguchi with joy and confidence.
Another noteworthy success of Xavier was the conversion of a young man well known in the Christian history of Japan by the name of Lorenzo. He was born in about 1556 in the Province of Hizen in the Island of Kyushu. Being blind in one eye and half-blind in the other, he made his living like most of the blind men of the time by playing the biwa or Japanese lute. When he learned of Xavier's presence at Yamaguchi he made a long journey to see the holy man. After due instruction, this blind man was received into the church. Xavier's noble personality, his zeal for the propagation of the Gospel and above all his extraordinary kindness made such a deep impression on the man, that he resolved to devote the rest of his life to the conversion of his countrymen. He worked as a catechist until 1563, when he was received as lay-brother into the Society of Jesus. Despite unattractive features, his penetrating and quick mind, remarkable command of speech and wonderful memory won to his side many a devout listener, including men of the highest rank. It was in the main due to this blind preacher's endeavor that the church of Kyoto was established and that men of noble lineage were won over to the faith. It was he who spoke fearlessly before the mightiest men of the time, such powerful warlords as Nobunaga and Hideyoshi. When he closed his eyes in 1592, the Christians in Japan grieved, feeling that one of the pillars of the Church had gone.
As already stated, Naito Takaharu, a samurai of high rank, had shown extraordinary kindness to Xavier when he first arrived at Yamaguchi. His friendship was just as cordial as before, when the holy father returned to the city. Nevertheless, he and his wife could not make up their mind to receive baptism, for although they had donated large sums of money for the building of monasteries and their maintenance, they could never abandon daily pleasures in this world and hoped to receive Amitabha's blessing in the next. Moreover, they were afraid that, if they became Christians, they would have to forfeit all their social prestige.
After Xavier left the city, rebels murdered the lord, Ouchi Yoshitaka and his son.* The missionaries were then in great danger of being massacred by the angry people, who blamed them and their teaching for the misfortune of civil war that befell the city. Naito and his wife saved the missionaries from the fury of the rebels, hiding them and caring for them until order was restored in the city. Four years later, Naito and his family received baptism; the kind old man was so deeply moved on the occasion that he "fell on his knees and besought the Lord to take him to heaven in that happy moment."
* The leader of the rebels was Suwe Harukata, formerly known by the name of Takafusa. According to the report written by Father Torres, Ouchi Yoshitaka committed suicide, after ordering one of his faithful retainers to kill his son. Not only the steady increase of the neophytes but their wonderful courage and devotion comforted the holy father. Among the neophytes, there were a great number of samurai, who were united in a genuine brotherly love and showed an extraordinary zeal for the conversion of their pagan brethren.
Towards the missionaries they showed filial love and a most touching attachment "so that it seemed almost incredible", as Xavier said. Father Torres, Xavier's fellow-worker, praised, above all, the faithful Christians of Yamaguchi and believed that "the majority of them would be ready to suffer any hardship rather than give up their faith." Nothing else, of course, could be expected from people who, "after having understood the truth of the Christian religion had given up idolatry and even left father and mother in order to embrace this religion." Brother Fernandez was so deeply impressed by the piety of these Christians that he confessed that he "could not praise it enough" and Xavier cherished such exemplary Christians, calling them the "delight of his heart."
Xavier had spent no more than six months among his beloved flock at Yamaguchi, when in September, 1551, he received an invitation from the Daimyo of Bungo, Otomo Yoshishige (in Japanese history called Otomo Sorin). Simultaneously he learned that a Portuguese ship had arrived and since he hoped to receive letters from India and Europe, he all the more gladly accepted the invitation. Nevertheless, he intended to return to Yamaguchi, at the latest within one year but as it happened he was never again to see his beloved flock. While he was still at Bungo, he learned from Father Torres that rebels had killed the lord and his son.
About the same time the rebels asked Otomo Yoshishige to send his younger brother, Hachiro, to Yamaguchi, as the heir presumptive to the late Ouchi. Their offer was accepted and both Yoshishige and Hachiro promised Xavier that they would protect the missionaries at Yamaguchi. Hachiro indeed kept his word and restored to the fathers the land of the former. Daido Temple, where presently a church was erected. The number of converts steadily increased, but unhappily peace did not last long. Just before he committed suicide, Ouchi Yoshitaka wrote a letter to Mori Motonari, lord of the fortress of Yoshida in the Province of Aki, entrusting to him the task of avenging his death. Motonari was only too glad to accept this commission. In 1533 he submitted a memorial to the Emperor emphasizing the services rendered by the Ouchi family and their unswerving loyalty to the throne, declaring his desire to punish the rebel Suwe Harukata, who had murdered his lord, and beseeching that a commission might be granted to him. The Imperial Court graciously granted him the Commission. In the following year, Mori declared war against Harukata and his protege Otomo Hachiro, who had assumed the name of Ouchi Yoshinaga. In 1556 the City of Yamaguchi became the scene of disorder; a riot broke out between Yoshinaga's partisans and the supporter of Mori Motonari and, as a result, a large part of the city was destroyed by fire, the church and the residence of the fathers included. Thereupon the Christians urged Father Torres to flee to Bungo. For a time it seemed that Yoshinaga might be able to repel the invaders and, as it is recorded, towards the end of 1556, the Christians invited Torres to return to Yamaguchi, but Otomo Yoshishige advised him to wait until the victory was ensured. Shortly after, Yoshinaga was compelled to flee to the fortress of Kachiyama, where he was subsequently besieged and killed and Motonari entered tile City of Yamaguchi in triumph.
Mori Motonari was a fervent adherent of the Ikko Sect of Buddhism and antagonistic toward the Christian creed. Thus with his reign there began for the Christians of Yamaguchi a period of hardships. Many of them, especially the Christian noblemen who had served Ouchi Yoshitaka, had to flee to various parts of the country. Only about 300 Christians remained at Yamaguchi, deprived of their pastors, since the new lord would not allow the latter to remain in his dominions. For a time even the church ground was taken from the Christians, but they shortly after recovered it and rebuilt their church, only to have it destroyed again by order of the lord, who later confiscated the land in 1564. When in 1573, two years after Motonari's death, Father Cabral, the new superior of the mission, was to visit the churches of central Japan, the Christians of Yamaguchi asked him to visit them. He spent three months with them. They had earnestly continued in their faith under the direction of two fervent Christians, who had been baptized by Xavier, and greatly rejoiced to have a priest again in their midst after a lapse of 18 years. During Cabral's stay 172 persons were baptized in the city of Yamaguchi and 42 more in the neighboring village of Miyano.
Scarcely had Cabral left them when their trials began anew. Strict orders were issued prohibiting further visits of the missionaries. When Father Figueiredo planned to visit the Christians in 1577, the Christians of Yamaguchi advised him not to do so, since it would only increase the fury of their tyrant, Mori Terumoto. When, however, Mori was defeated by the mighty warlord Nobunaga, Mori Terumoto urged the fathers to establish themselves once more in his domain. The Christians wrote to them a most touching letter to the same effect. "We are", they wrote, "the first-fruits of the Japanese Christians, and the majority of us were baptized by Father Master Francis or by Father Cosme de Torres. On account of our sins and our poor work we have been living for 25 years under a tyrant king, and our little flock is surrounded by pagans on all sides, without the sacraments, without Holy Mass, without sermons, deprived of fathers and brothers for so many years. . . . Hence we beg your Reverence humbly and with tears to remember our forsaken plight, lest these souls, whose redemption cost the Savior of the world so dearly, should be lost."
Unfortunately the fathers could not comply with their request, for the dearth of priests did not allow them to do so, and even if they could have spared a missionary, they would have exposed themselves to Nobunaga's displeasure and endangered the churches of central Japan. Yet four years later, by the good offices of the Christian daimyo Kuroda Yoshitaka, Yamaguchi at last received missionaries once more, although only for a very short time. When Hideyoshi in 1587 ordered all missionaries to leave the country, the fathers again had to flee from Yamaguchi. Nevertheless the Christians not only kept the faith, but they increased in number. In 1599 a new residence and church were again established. In 1600, however, when the Mori family were deprived of the greater part of the domain, they attributed their ill luck to the Christian religion and began once more to persecute the followers of Christ. In 1602 the fathers were compelled to leave Yamaguchi, and in 1604 the Christian nobleman, Melchior Kumagai, and his relatives and retainers totaling 100 were decapitated for being Christians. Thus ten years earlier than the nationwide persecution, the era of martyrdom began for the valiant Christians of Yamaguchi, who gladly gave their lives for their faith, thus fulfilling Xavier's expectations. The last missionary, who visited Yamaguchi during the great persecution in 1625, was Father Porro. To console the bereaved Christians he gave them a picture of St. Francis Xavier, Patron saint of Yamaguchi. From 1625 until 1889 no priest ever visited Yamaguchi, and during that period the once flourishing Church almost died out.
Yet Xavier's memory has not died. When, therefore, Father Villion proposed in 1923 to the City of Yamaguchi to erect a monument in honor of Xavier, his suggestion was received with enthusiasm, and the monument was completed in October 1925. It is a large cross of granite with the bronze bust of the saint in the center arid his coat of arms on the back. During the Pacific War the bronze part of the monument as well as the bust of Father Villion were confiscated by the militarists, but the Christians of Yamaguchi consider it their duty of honor to restore them. Preparations are underway to unveil the monument for a second time on August 15, 1949, the day when the 400th anniversary of Xavier's arrival in Japan is celebrated throughout the country. The Xavier Memorial Hall will be opened in the City of Yamaguchi on the same memorable day. This Hall, a sort of museum, contains the valuable relics and documents testifying to the works carried out by the ardent Catholic Missionaries in the 16th century and the earliest Christian movement in the country. Moreover, the Xavier Society of Yamaguchi, headed by Prefectural Governor Tatsuo Tanaka, is preparing the publication of the biography of St. Francis Xavier, whom the city has regarded as its patron saint ever since his arrival in the city in 1549. This pamphlet, revealing the love St. Francis Xavier bore towards Japan and the Japanese, will be freely distributed so as to remind the Japanese people of the heavy debt of gratitude they owe to the first preacher of the Gospel, who awakened them to the Christian creed of love and truth.

Katanas and crucifixes: The Japanese Otomo clan



aniel Esparza - published on 11/20/22

Ōtomo Sōrin converted to Roman Catholicism in 1578. He seemingly used the cross as one of the symbols of his clan.

The Otomo clan (Otomo-Shi) was a Japanese samurai family whose power stretched over four centuries, from the Kamakura through the Sengoku periods. They were among the first Japanese to trade with the Portuguese – and even traveled with Francis Xavier to India.


Ōtomo Sōrin converted to Roman Catholicism in 1578.

The Jesuits, Francis Xavier leading them, arrived in Japan in 1549. Christian teachings were enthusiastically received at first, with more than 760,000 people converting throughout the country by the early 17th century. However, early fervor soon made way for the harsh persecutions that began in 1614, and which eventually led to the bloody Shimabara Rebellion, an alliance of local ronin and Catholic peasants who fought the Tokugawa shogunate’s unpopular policies, including the suppression of Christianity and the consequent persecution of Christians.

Soon after his arrival, Francis Xavier met important feudal lords, including Ōtomo Sōrin, the shugo (military governor, although Xavier described him as a “king” of sorts) of Bungo and Buzen Provinces, who converted to Roman Catholicism in 1578. Ōtomo seemingly used the cross as one of the symbols of his clan, as seen in this katana, a ceremonial Japanese sword:

Katana with Christian iconography from the late Sengoku period. (1590’s). likely from the Otomo clan, that was prominently Christian.” pic.twitter.com/Bk3LOliwRo
— Read The Signs (@Semiogogue) November 10, 2022

His motives to convert, thought, might not have been necessarily pious. Ōtomo was eager to secure further trade and contact with the Portuguese, aware as he was of the technological and economic benefits that could be derived from it. In fact, emissaries from the clan traveled to Goa with Xavier, to meet with the Portuguese Governor of India, and he sent the first official Japanese emissary to Europe, Ito Mancio, to meet with Pope Gregory XIII.



The Japanese Tenshō embassy with Pope Gregory XIII on March 23, 1585.

Part of this story is told in Shushaku Endo’s famous novel, Silence.



https://aleteia.org/2022/11/20/katan...se-otomo-clan/