The Diocese of Niigata commemorated the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of 32 Christians who were burned at the stake at the execution ground outside Kubota Castle in the early Edo period.
On July 18, 1624, in what is now Akita City, 32 Christians, including 21 samurai and their family members, were martyred.
Bishop Paul Daisuke Narui said the martyrdom of the 32 Christians was “the beginning of more than 100 Christians in the Akita Domain who were martyred that same year alone.”
“Even though they were told, ‘You should not believe in Christ’ and ‘You should not live like Christ,’ these are Christians who believed in Christ and, like Christ, lived and died in service to God and people, especially those in weak positions,” said the prelate.
According to the records kept by the diocese, the 32 Christians were tied to a pillar one by one at the execution ground, where firewood was then piled up and ignited.
As the fire blazed, the believers collectively called out for the Lord’s mercy, their prayers echoing through the area until they were overwhelmed by the flames.
For the following three nights, residents of the nearby town of Mina reported seeing a mysterious light shining in the sky.
“In a society where, for various reasons, it is difficult to express and live one’s faith, we would like to follow the example of the martyrs, ask for their intercession, and advance together on our journey as Christians,” said Bishop Narii.
Persecution of Christians in the Akita domain began around 1617, but it remained moderate in scale. It was not until the Kan’ei era in 1624 that large-scale persecution commenced.
Christianity was introduced to Japan by Francis Xavier in 1549, and within 30 years, the number of believers had risen to 100,000, reaching 700,000 by the end of 80 years.
This rapid growth was supported by Nobunaga and other feudal lords during the warring states period, who were favorable to Christian evangelism due to the trade benefits it brought.
However, the tide turned in 1587 when Hideyoshi issued an edict banning Christianity, marking the start of persecution.
Subsequent rulers like Hidetada intensified this oppression, particularly in regions like Nagasaki.
Despite the severe persecution in central areas, Christians in the Tohoku region experienced significant prosperity during the Keicho period.
