The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-02
a. PArRIors DAY IN JAPAN.
"EIndins or me ChristIans'' Notable Feast
In the Church TheFe.


sFlnding or me ChrIstIans'' Notable Feast
In the Church TheFe,
1T IL . httle known faOt among thoss
Who have watched 81. Patriok's day Gale
brated With pomp and circumstance,
said Catholic priest. that 10 far Oh Japan
the nth Of March 10 celebrated Gs great
feast day by the Catholic Church. The
day IL known as hhs Feast Of the Finding
Of the Christians.
The traits Of vHloT and loyalty that the
world has recently discovered In japanese
character At very well With the remarkable
story Of faith told In the annals Of the
Church 10 Japan.
This feast day 10 celebrated In honor Of
5000 japanese Christians who, on the
reopening OF the country 70 missionaries
on March ~, 1895, were discovered 10 have
kept the faith unsullisd, Though absolutely
Isolated for three centuries, since 1910, when
more than 1000 AuEuStiniAnS, Dominioana,
FranoiscanS and JesultS, together with
100000 native Christians, suffered martyr
dom and the faith preached by st. Francis
Xavier was apparently stamped out.
1T IL significant Of Japanese character
that when Sc. Francis Xavier left Japan,
In i66i-Japan then possessed 10000 con-
verts-he wrotei so far a. know, the
japanese nation 10 the single and only
nation Of them all which seems likely TO
preserve mistaken and forever the pro-
fesSion Of Christian holiness II once It
embraces it,
At this time the annals Of Christianity
In Japan began 10 parallel Rome under
Nero, In 1897 the MlkAdo HideyoGhi, who
otherwise was q splendid ruler, ordered all
Christians out Of Japan In twenty days
On Fob 8. 1907, twenty-slx japanese Chris-
tiAns were cricifed at NaRasak
This persecution only seemed 10 inhamO
the peoples faith, and soon almost two mil
lion Christians figured among the popula-
ton OF Japan. Under tho next Emperor,
Yeyasu, from 1914 to 1910, the very name OF
Christian seemed to be wiped from the land,
10000 Christians being massacred at one
dme
Nearly 200 yeSrs aftsrwa ard a japanese
Junk was wrecked on the shores Of the
Philippines and the twenty japanese sur
vivors we're found to be wearing Christian
medals which they reverenced. They
proved TO have been baptized and properly
instructed by their parents. who In turn
had descended from the early Christians
The neIt year, 1882, missionaries visited
their ancient field but they were not al
lowed to talk Christianity to natives until
Q church was built on the ate Of the Maya
said martrydom in 1895, and that favor was
granted through political pressure by
America, France, England and other ia
tions
ON March IA. 1895 tho feast Of the Find
ing Of the Christians had its inception.
On that date fifteen Japanese entered the
church and kneeling down proclaimed
that they were Of the same faith, having
celebrated Christmas all through the years
Of isolation and prayed TO Deous Sauna
God, o Yaso Sauna JeSus Christi. Santa
Maria Sauna 0he Blessed virgin), and o
Yaso SANTANA 70 fu Cthe foster Father Of
Jesus. st. Joseph
During the next month 1000 steadfast
Christians revealed themselves, and the next
year q Papsl brief decreed that the almost
miraculous event OF March II, 1895 should
be celebrated ss a feast under the title,
The Finding Of the Christians