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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
It is said that 400,000 bricks were used to construct Kuroshima church. Some of these were made on Kuroshima itself by the Christians who were living there.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
Father Marmand decorated Kuroshima church’s pulpit with ornamentations which he himself carved by hand. There are only a small number of pulpits in Japan.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
Kuroshima church is built in a beautiful Romanesque style. Many of the items within the church are of French origin, having been sent away for by Father Marmand.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
When the first mass was celebrated on Kuroshima, Christianity was still officially banned within Japan. The priest who went there to say Mass crossed the ocean in disguise so as to avoid detection.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
Kuroshima Church took two years to complete. Among the carpenters who took part in the church’s construction was a young shipwright from the Goto islands…
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
Local materials were used in Kuroshima church’s construction
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
On Kuroshima, there is a special adjective meaning “pious” or “devout”. All of the islands Christians possess a picture of the Virgin Mary, a crucifix, a rosary and such like.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
Father Marmand gave his all to construct Kuroshima church. However, spiralling financial costs meant that construction had to be halted for a while.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
One striking feature of Kuroshima church is its magnificent rib vault ceiling. Interestingly, its wood grain was painted on by hand.
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Nagasaki
After arriving in Sotome, Father de Rotz worked particularly hard to help women lead self-sufficient lives
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Nagasaki
When Oura Cathedral was constructed, it sent the Hidden Christians a secret message…
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Nagasaki
Father Petitjean made great efforts to raise the funds needed for the church’s construction. You can sense the troubles he experienced from his letters.
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Nagasaki
At the time of its foundation, Oura Cathedral was a small church with three aisles. It was later expanded.
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Nagasaki
Although foreigners were delighted that Oura Cathedral had been constructed, because the ban on Christianity was still in place few Japanese dared to go near there
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Nagasaki
Even though Japan had been opened, Christianity still hadn't been officially recognised. The construction of Oura took place in the midst of this.
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Nagasaki
The man who spent his life working to bring about the resurrection of the Christian faith in Japan is buried at Oura
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Nagasaki
Oura Cathedral was called a "Furansu dera" (a “French temple”). Inside are a great number of gifts with some connection to France.
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Nagasaki
In contrast to the nearby Shitsu church, Ono church was built in a quiet and secluded location
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Nagasaki
Ono church is a peripatetic church of Shitsu church. Both churches were built by Father de Rotz. Nowadays there is only one mass a year at Ono church, which is held in commemoration
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Nagasaki
Ono church’s structure resembles that of an ordinary house. Other notable architectural features include its "de Rotz walls" and its brick window frames, as well as the windbreak in front of the entrance.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
A red-coloured adhesive, made with shells from the surrounding area, was used in the church’s construction
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
Next to the church is a graveyard, where earlier generations of Tabira’s Christians are buried
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
An award awaits those who make the climb
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
On either side of the church, stained glass windows open out onto a colonial veranda
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
The Christians who lived in Houki during the Meiji era were very devout, and they played their part in the church’s construction.
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Goto Islands
Former Gorin church was originally located in a different part of Hisaka island
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Goto Islands
In 1985, a new church was constructed in Gorin, and Former Gorin church became disused.
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Goto Islands
It seems that St. Joseph’s earnest and sincere life resonated with local Christians
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Goto Islands
Former Gorin church’s architectural style is, in certain ways, very distinctly Japanese
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Goto Islands
Although Naru island is gradually becoming depopulated, Christians who live there are still managing to keep the flame of faith alive
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Goto Islands
Egami church has some interesting design features. In 2018, it will celebrate its 100th year anniversary
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Goto Islands
You can see the influence of Tetsukawa Yosuke everywhere in Egami church, including in the way he designed the altar
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Goto Islands
In 2001, Egami church was painted a distinctive white and pastel-coloured light blue. Local Christians themselves got involved with the repair work which was needed.
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Goto Islands
Dozaki church is beautifully situated on a cape, and in former times a conch shell was blown to announce that Mass was starting.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
A church which sits on high ground on a deserted island. It was the first brick church to be made by the carpenter Tetsukawa Yosuke, and it contains some beautiful donated ornaments which have very fine detail.
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
In 1971, following a period of depopulation, the last people left living on Nozaki island migrated together as a group. Nokubi church, built at such cost to the Christian families who had willingly embraced hardship in order to pay for it, was closed.
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Goto Islands
Nagasaki is an area with a strong culture of quarrying as a means of livelihood. The high-quality Goto stone that was used to build Kashiragashima church is used elsewhere for paving slabs and walls.
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Goto Islands
A lengthy process of quarrying and construction, carried out not only by masons but by local Christians themselves, too.
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Goto Islands
Kashiragashima church has a surprising “gap” between its exterior and interior; a place of prayer full of flowers.
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Goto Islands
Aosagaura church was built using Goto stones from nearby Kashiragashima, and with bricks and wood supplies brought from across the sea.
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Nagasaki
Carved into the rock face of the mountainside and secured on its other side with a landfill, this beautiful brick structure stands on a site overlooking the harbour.
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Goto Islands
Even today this church’s bell tells the time and signals prayer sessions.
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Goto Islands
Tetsukawa Yosuke, a key figure in many instances of religious architecture, took on the challenges of building new kinds of churches while overcoming various obstacles involved in the process.
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Goto Islands
Oso church welcomes the centennial from its consecration in the summer of 2014. This occasion lends a special air to relooking at its history.
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Shimabara/Amakusa
Father Halbout had a special vision for Sakitsu church, the construction of which he himself oversaw
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Shimabara/Amakusa
Sakitsu village is an unusual mix of East and West
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Shimabara/Amakusa
Sakitsu church is the pride and joy of the village’s Christians
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Nagasaki
トードス・オス・サントス教会は、長崎で初めて建った教会である。
当時使われた井戸には、今も水が湧き出ている。
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Nagasaki
伊王島にある馬込教会の中央祭壇上には、三大天使の一人、聖ミカエルの像が掲げられている。
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Nagasaki
浦上のキリシタンたちは、絵踏みを行った罪を償うために、あえて庄屋屋敷跡に教会を建てた。
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Nagasaki
受難に耐えた浦上信徒の歴史を物語る場所に再建された新聖堂は、ローマ教皇の来日を前に今の姿になった。
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Goto Islands
煉瓦造りのりっぱな青砂ヶ浦天主堂
その建設に伴った信徒たちの苦労とは!?
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Goto Islands
現在の煉瓦造りの大曾教会堂は二代目
初代の教会堂も生き続けている
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Nagasaki
大浦天主堂の建設に関わった伊王島の大工・大渡伊勢吉は、伊王島のキリシタンのために2つの教会を造った
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Nagasaki
信徒発見や放虎原殉教記念碑など、数々の大作を残す中田秀和氏は五島生まれのカトリック
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
計画から4年の歳月を費やして建設された田平天主堂
資材を信徒が担いで登った道は、とても険しかった
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
2018年、創建から100周年を迎えた田平天主堂。それを機に、創建当時のステンドグラスを案内所に展示。
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
田平天主堂の敷地内にある貝殻の焼き場跡
しかし、よく見ると貝を焼いた跡が無いことに気づく
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Nothern Nagasaki Prefecture
教会堂の多くが、自動機械によって鐘の音を鳴らす中、田平天主堂は今も信徒による人力で鳴らしている