Resistance and Faith: The Story of the Kakure Kirishitan on exhibition at the Universidade Católica
On 2 December, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) opened the photographic exhibition "Kakure Kirishitan - Hidden Christians", dedicated to the Christians who lived their faith in secret in Japan for more than 200 years, under the religious persecution imposed by the Tokugawa Shogun.
The opening ceremony began with a guided tour of the exhibition in the João Paulo II University Library, followed by a session in the Cardeal Medeiros Auditorium.
Peter Hanenberg, Vice-Rector of Católica, emphasised how the exhibition portrays the resistance of Japanese Christians, forced to live in hiding to preserve their faith. "More than 200 years in the underground without being able to practice publicly their faith, this is an experience which shows both the resilience of the nation and the necessity to give freedom to its expression", said Peter Hanenberg, emphasising that the exhibition is guided by the words "past and present" and "faith and freedom". "There is no true life of faith possible without the freedom of faith. But there is also no freedom possible without the power and the resistance of faith".
Ivo Scapolo, Apostolic Nuncio in Portugal, also emphasised the importance of collective memory and the study of history in building the present. "Our celebration can certainly be a celebration supported, enlightened and inspired by memory. But it is a living memory, a memory that opens up horizons of future and hope". For the Apostolic Nuncio, the memory of the hidden Christians is a force of resistance that inspires today's Christians.
Ambassador Ota Makoto, Japanese Ambassador to Portugal, was keen to emphasise the importance of the exhibition in strengthening the historical ties between Japan and Portugal. "It is a great honour to see the Universidade Católica Portuguesa host this exhibition, which not only celebrates the history of the Hidden Christians, but also symbolises the lasting friendship between our countrie", he said.
The ceremony was also attended by Jorge Santos Alves, Coordinator of the Institute of Asian Studies at Católica, who said: "We are celebrating the 450th anniversary of the passage of the Tenshō mission through Portugal, an extraordinary legacy that allows us to learn about the dynamics of cultural exchanges at the beginning of the modern world", emphasising the importance of the exhibition for understanding cultural exchanges between the two worlds.
"During almost 260 years of persecution, Christians faced the choice between abandoning their faith or choosing martyrdom", recalled Archbishop Emeritus Takami of the Archdiocese of Nagasaki. Takami emphasised that despite the adverse conditions, the Kakure Kirishitan kept their belief alive, turning pain into hope through prayer and unwavering faith.
More than an exhibition, for Tatsuo Shirahama, President of the Yumenosya Foundation, this show is a message of resistance, faith and survival that transcends time.
“As a descendant of the Jewish land, Japan's hidden Christians and second generation survivor of Nagasaki atomic bombing, this heritage, this something I was born with, has always been the inspiration and driving force behind the work I do today for Yumenosya Foundation. Yumenosha, we are not just preserving history, but building hope”, he shared, explaining his deep connection to this story of resilience.
Segundo Dom Rui Valério, Magno Chanceler da Universidade Católica, esta vivência da fé cristã no Japão, marcada pela clandestinidade, remete para o espírito missionário de Portugal, que, mesmo em tempos de grande dificuldade, nunca abandonou a fé e o compromisso com a verdade do Evangelho. “Quantos não são aqueles que vivem o cristianismo, vivem o evangelho, mas de uma forma tão discreta e nada oficial, os seus nomes não constam em nenhum registo oficial de paróquias ou de dioceses".
According to Bishop Rui Valério, Magno Chancellor of the Universidade Católica, this clandestine living of the Christian faith in Japan is a reminder of Portugal's missionary spirit, which, even in times of great difficulty, never abandoned its faith and its commitment to the truth of the Gospel. "How many are there who live Christianity, who live the Gospel, but in such a discreet and unofficial way that their names don't appear on any official parish or diocesan registers?", he said.
During the ceremony, D. Ivo Scapolo presented the Institute of Asian Studies with an illustrated atlas of the Kirishitan, containing more than 1,500 illustrations and documents that testify to the resistance of Christians during the era of religious prohibition in Japan.
The inauguration culminated in a performance by the Tokyo Opera Association, with 35 singers performing pieces dedicated to the Hidden Christians.
The exhibition, which will be open until the end of January 2025, offers visitors a unique opportunity to reflect on perseverance, faith and freedom across centuries and cultures. As Vice-Rector Peter Hanenberg emphasised in his inaugural speech: "These two pairs of words, the present and the past, faith and freedom, show in a very small exhibition the whole thing about humanity, the challenges about humanity, living between yesterday, today, and tomorrow, living between belief and freedom".