Related persons and terms（By hovering your mouse pointer over an item, explanation of the item are displayed.）

［Francis Xavier］ Francis Xavier, one of the founders of the Society of Jesus, landed in Kagoshima in 1549. He introduced Christianity to Japan for the first time. The following year, he arrived in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture.

［Martyrdom］ Martyrdom is the act of choosing death and giving one's life to God rather than abandoning Christian faith and morals.

［Saint］ Saint is a title given by the Pope in official recognition of the holiness of those who have devoted their lives to deep faith as martyrs and Christians. A "saint" is added to the list of saints, and a "blessed" is added to the list of blessed persons.

［Senpuku Kirishitan］ Senpuku Kirishitan (hidden Christians) lived ostensibly as Buddhists during the ban on Christianity but secretly carried on their faith.

［Oppression］ Repression is the suppression of an activity by a ruler through power. In the history of Christianity, repression refers to religious persecution using various means to compel people to quit or abandon their faith.

［Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan］ The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan was the first martyrdom case in Japan. People were executed for their Christian faith by the authority of the time. Twenty-six believers were arrested in Kyoto, Osaka, and other cities; were made to walk to Nagasaki; and were executed at Nishizaka on February 5, 1597. The event caused a great sensation in Europe, and the twenty-six were later canonized as saints.

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