The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-05-15
Anniversary

GOLDEN JUBILEE OF THE Dlscov-
cry OF THE OLD CHRISTIANS IN
JAPAN RECALLS THE DRAMATIC
STORY OF HOW THESE cATHo.
Lies KEPT THE FAITH FOR $50
YEARS WITHOUT A PRIEST OR
MISSIONARY.
Some weeks ago there was cele-
brated in Japan a golden jubilee of
more than ordinary interest not only
to the native Catholics, but to the
Catholics of the whole world. It COM
memorated the anniversary of the dis
| coVery of colony of Japanese Catho-
lies who had preserved the faith with
out the aid of priestly ministrations
for two and half centuries.
These "old Christians as they are
called, live in Urakami Valley, which
| opens into the beautiful harbor of Ma
gasaki. Although the Catholic mis-
sionaries had been in contact with the
Japanese for score OF years prior to
1865, it was not until March Of that
year that a providential visit of some
OF the natives of Urakami to the new
| ly-opened Church of the Twenty-six
Martyrs in Nagasaki, that the exist
ence of these old Christians became
known to them.
/ The story is an interesting and a
dramatic one. 1t is recounted in de-
tail in a booklet recently issued in
French with the appreciation of the
| Bishop of Nagasaki, and from it we
take the following sketch of one of the
most interesting events in the history
Of the Catholic Church.
In the sixteenth century, St Fran
els Xavier and his heroic Jesuit asso-
ciates succeeded in bringing many
| thousands of Oriental converts into
the Church. So successful was his mis-
sionary work, not only in Japan, but in
China and India, that it seemed as if
/ the whole of the Orient were about to
accept Christianity. Fearing the in
tiuence of foreigners, China and Japan
resolved to eXterminate the last YES
tige of Christianity and then began
one of the most terrible prosecutions
in the history of the Church since the
Middle Ages. In 1897, twenty-six Jap
anese converts suffered martyrdom
in Nagasaki, and before the middle of
the sixteenth century Christianity
cnnT1and M hn pof ~, Tala
On June 8, 1862, Pope Plus TX, can
onized these twenty-siX Japanese mar
tyrs who had died for the faith. On
February 10, 1866, Father Girard, St-
perior of the mission of Nagasaki,
solemnly dedicated new church in
their honor, church intended solely
for the use of the foreign residents
| of the city, for no Japanese Catho-
i lies were known to exist. About a
month later, or to be exact, on the
afternoon of March II, 1865, a group
of twelve or fifteen persons, men,
women and children, presented them
selves at the door of the church which
/ was opened for them by the mission
airy, Father Petitjean, who led them
towards the sanctuary. Imagine his
surprise when the visitors told him
that they were of the same heart as
he. To his astonished question,
Really and where do you come
from p they answered, I'VE are from
Urakami. At Urakami nearly all are
of the same heart as we." They then
asked him where the image of the
Holy Virgin was and, on pointing it
out to them, they fell on their knees
saying, ''Oh, yes; that is surely Santa
Maria: look at the Infant Jesus in her
arms" and they added that on De-
cember 25 of each year they cele-
brated His birth in stable; that He
died on the cross and that at present
it was the time of sorrow, that is
Lent, which was true. They also
spoke of st. Joseph, whom they called
the adopted Father of Jesus. The mis-
sionary was overcome with joy; but
i they were careful to assure them
selves that he was, without doubt, one
of them. They were finally satisfied
when told that the missionary was
sent by the Great Chief in Rome and
that the priests were not allowed to
i marry.
i Imagine the feelings of the mission
aryi He soon learned that at IRA
kami. in spite of the persecution which
had lasted for more than two hundred
and fifty years. hundred of families.
i without any Dripst. had handed down
| in secret the principal truths OF
Catholicity. with baptism and prayers,
even in Latin. lie also learned that,
| eight years before, thirty heads OF
families of Urakami had been cast into
prison for their faith for two years;
that ten of them died of the effects Of
: cruel treatment. and that notWigh