Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region

The Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Nagasaki, Japan. It includes 12 sites in and around Nagasaki that bear witness to the history of the persecution of Christians in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867).

During this time, Christianity was outlawed in Japan and Christians were subject to severe persecution. Many Christians went into hiding and continued to practice their faith in secret. The sites in the Nagasaki region include churches, confessionals, and other hidden Christian sites that were used by these underground communities.

The most famous of these sites is the Oura Cathedral, which was built in 1864 and is the oldest standing Christian church in Japan. Other sites include the Sakitsu Village, which has preserved the traditional religious practices of the hidden Christians, and the Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture, which houses a collection of artifacts related to the history of Christianity in Japan.

The Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region are significant not only for their historical and cultural value but also for their role in the preservation of the Christian faith in Japan. The sites are a testament to the resilience and perseverance of the hidden Christian communities, who continued to practice their faith despite the danger and persecution they faced.

In 2018, the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as a cultural property, recognizing their importance as a cultural and historical landmark and their contribution to the understanding of the history of Christianity in Japan.

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