🗺️ Oura Cathedral大浦天主堂

Oura Church was built for foreign residents in Japan. Its official name is "Church of the 26 Martyrs of Japan," and it was constructed facing the site of the martyrdom at Nishizaka, dedicated to the 26 saints who were martyred in the first year of Bunroku (1597). Designed by French missionaries Father Furet and Father Petitjean, with construction overseen by Hidenori Koyama, it was completed in the first year of Genji (1864). Although built with red bricks, its surface is plastered white, making it a Gothic church that blends Japanese and Western styles. In March of the second year of Genji (1865), after the prohibition of Christianity was enacted, hidden Christians from Urakami came to Oura Church to express their faith to Father Petitjean, an event known as the "Discovery of the Believers." During the nearly 250 years of the ban on Christianity, many believers secretly maintained their faith, a touching story that is considered a miracle in the history of global Catholicism. On August 9, 1945, the church was damaged due to the atomic bomb, and it underwent restoration over five years, being designated as a national treasure again in 1953. In 2018, it was recognized as one of the components of the "Nagasaki and Amakusa Region Hidden Christian Heritage." Oura Church is the oldest wooden-framed red brick Gothic church still standing in Japan and is one of the must-see attractions when visiting Nagasaki.

The old Lodi Theology School and the old Nagasaki Archbishop's residence next door are now the "Christian Museum." The "Statue of Our Lady of the Discovery of the Faithful," which was visited by hidden Christians, is located on the small altar to the right of the main altar. The "Statue of Our Lady of Japan" displayed at the entrance was a gift from France to celebrate the discovery of the faithful. The interior ceiling features a curved ribbed vault made of bamboo, supported by wooden columns and fixed with plaster. Father Petitjean is buried underground at the Oura Church, and there is a tombstone for Father Petitjean inside the church.