おらしょ こころ旅

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Center of Nagasaki Prefecture/Western Nagasaki Prefecture

Medallion unearthed in Omura / Immaculate Virgin Mary

・This is an oval medallion (large medal) made out of bronze, about 11.4 cm in length and 7.4 cm in width. It depicts the Immaculate Virgin Mary clad in the sun, standing on the moon and wearing a crown with many stars on her head.
・When land reclamation work was conducted for the construction of the Omura Junior High School building (currently, Omura Senior High School) in 1932, this medallion, bearing the inscription “16th year of Kanei” (1639), was discovered under a gravestone of the Uda family, who served as the chief retainer of the Omura Clan.
・The medallion was made by the Royal Mint in Madrid during the period of King Charles I of Spain (1516–1556) in the 16th century.
・The fact that the medallion was unearthed from the grave of a chief retainer during the period of the ban on Christianity has tremendous historical significance in showing that Christians in Omura continued to practice their faith during the times when Christianity was prohibited, after the Shimabara Rebellion.
・There are two medallions similar to this in the Tokyo National Museum, and one in Oura Cathedral in Nagasaki.

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