Meeting the descendants of Japan's 'hidden Christians'

As Pope Francis wraps up a four-day visit to Japan, we meet some of the country's few Christians. There are some 400,000 of them in the archipelago, making up less than 0.5 percent of the population. Christianity has a troubled history in Japan as it was banned for several centuries. Some early converts refused to abandon their faith and practiced it in secret. Our team in Nagasaki meets some of the descendants of Japan's earliest Christians. 

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[josephfrancis]

Japanese Christian's went through a lot during 16th Century, may their generations be blessed abundantly.

[CROCOP]

God Bless Japanese and Chinese Catholics and all Christians around the Universe.
All the deceased ...Rest in Peace.

[ShyMahalima]

My prayers for all Christians in Japan, from a Catholic in the Philippines. Peace.

[eduardoschiavon]

Putting many western Catholics to shame, perhaps we can learn from them, it's not necessarily the numbers in the pews that matter, but how much they adhere to the Catholic faith.

[eduardoschiavon]

Catholic facts of Japan:
> In Nagasaki (which has historically been the most Catholic town in Japan) the convent founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe and its friars did not succumb to the bomb and the construction remained.
> A similar thing happened in Hiroshima, a house of Jesuits prayed the Rosary daily and was almost untouched by the bomb; the house was very close to the ground zero of the bomb by the way.
> Our Lady has also a confirmed apparition to sister Agnes Sasagawa in Akita.

[gregorydsouza]

Praise the Lord Jesus Christ 🙏 give strength and courage to Nagasaki and Hiroshima people in faith their land become fertile to live them with joy, happiness and faith.

[mrtan]

I just love it how the Japanese Hidden Catholics pray at the grave sites of the martyrs, It shows that even when the word of the Bible is shared from mouth to mouth, they still mannaged to understand the theological knowledge that most Catholics don't know which is that the bodies of the dead are also the full person instead of believing that the person is just a soul!

[srnx]

I just became aware of the hidden Christians of Japan after watching Silence.

[seulgi]

Watching a catholic japanese in a french youtube channel speaking english

[faanengaaw]

Its sad many of the hidden Christians think of the established church as a different Christianity just because they have been hidden for centuries. They need to come home to what their church of Japan could have been. ❤️

[TazExprez]

Thanks a lot for this report. I am thinking of moving to Japan from the US and wanted to learn more about Roman Catholicism in Japan.

[trissy]

As a fellow Believer I pray that the LORD bless them and keep them 💙✝️💚.
May they be well and stay strong always.

[nenabunena]

Faith die out? It won't die out if they return to the Church, their traditions are rooted in it and it's the completion and fullness of the faith

[EngPheniks]

Japanese people Christian and non-Christian alike practise in their lives what is expected from a Christian, much more than most Christians do. Respect for elders, etiquettes, hard work, giving etc.

[gregorydsouza]

Praise the Lord Jesus Christ 🙏 and mother Mary

[ungas]

Those Catholics who are criticizing / correcting people from "idolatry" do not know what they are talking about. Christians do not worship those statues they venerate them, just like you put a tomb stone on your family or your love ones grave, it is a way to remember the sacrifices that they have made and show them respect. If you saw some Christians praying in front of these so called "statue" maybe you should ask yourself why do you put a tomb stone in front of your love one grave surely it is not only to put there name, date they where born and died etc.

[davehall]

My brothers and sisters, we are one. Thank you for your faithfulness.

[fengxianzhe]

This is beautiful to see🙏 amen thank you father in heaven .

[misseli]

God bless Japanese Christians and all Christian minorities in East Asia

[RM-ucmf]

There is harmony in religions of peace. Practice whatever you believe but never force another to believe or murder for your beliefs.