vocabulary

Francisco Xavier
Spanish missionary of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits)． He came to Kagoshima in 1549, starting Christian missionary work for the first time in Japan; later engaged in missionary work in Hirado, Yamaguchi, Kyoto and Osaka.

Christian Daimyo (Lord)
Daimyo who converted to Christianity. There were many in Kyushu and Kinki region. They protected Christians and engaged in trading with foreigners.

Sumitada Omura
The Lord of Hizen Omura； was baptized in 1563 to become a Christian; donated Nagasaki to the Jesuits in 1580.

The Jesuits
A Catholic order founded by Ignatius de Loyola and Francisco Xavier in Spain in 1534, recognized officially by the Roman Pontiff in 1540. It became the center of missionary work in the East.

Harunobu Arima
The Lord of Hizen Arima. Harunobu was baptized in 1579 to become a Christian.

Hinoe Castle
The main castle of the Arima clan, who governed this region. A recent excavation unearthed remains of staircases and gilded roof tiles, indicating a relationship with Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

Seminario
A seminary established by the Jesuits in Japan for education of priests and brothers. They conducted education mainly in Religion, Latin, Art and Music.

Delegation of Tensho Young Envoys to Europe
In 1582, recommended by Valignano, Jesuit Visitor of Missions, four boys, studying in Arima, were selected as representatives of the Lords (Daimyo) in Kyushu and sent to meet the Roman Pontiff. They were actually able to meet the Pope and came back to Japan in 1590.
Delegates: Mansho Ito, Miguel Chijiwa; Assistant Delegates: Julian Nakaura, Martino Hara

Edict of Bateren’s Exile
Bateren is a term indicating Christian missionaries. In 1587, Hideyoshi Toyotomi who united Kyushu posted an Anti-Christian Edict in Hakata and banished foreign missionaries from the country.

The incident of the martyrdom of the 26 saints of Japan
After an incident on a ship called the San Felipe in 1596, foreign missionaries and Japanese Christians who were arrested in Kyoto and Osaka area, 26 in total, were crucified and martyred on Nishizaka Hill in Nasagaki.

Shimabara Uprising
In 1637, Christian farmers in Shimabara and Amakusa who suffered famine and bad harvest rose in a revolt against the authority. In total 37,000 militants barricaded themselves in Hara Castle, but were attacked by the army of the Shogunate and were completely destroyed.

The Society of Foreign Missions of Paris
Also called Paris Mission, it was founded in 1653 as a Catholic mission church, headquartered in Paris. From the beginning, the Paris Mission was in charge of East Asia and contributed greatly to reconstruction of Japan’s Catholic Church after the Meiji Restoration.

Father Petitjean
Father Petitjean came to Nagasaki as priest of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris in 1863. Under his direction Oura Cathedral was constructed and he encountered historical “discovery of Christians” in Japan.

Orasho
A Japanese way of saying “oratio” or prayer in Latin. A term that has been handed down from generation to generation up until now, even through the time when Japan isolated itself from other countries.

The Fourth Collapse of Urakami
After the discovery of Catholics in 1867, hidden Christians in Urakami Village carried out a funeral without permission from the parish temple and the existence of hidden Christians was discovered, whereupon they were suppressed and persecuted.

Collapse of Goto Archipelago
After the discovery of Christians in 1868, hidden Christians on Kugashima of Goto Archipelago declared their faith and persecution spread to the rest of the islands of Goto Archipelago.

Notice Board Prohibiting the Christian Faith
In 1868, the new government of Meiji put up five different notice boards. The third board prohibited Christianity following the principles of the Edo Bakufu.