ŌURA CATHEDRAL

A Catholic basilica built in 1864 by a French missionary for the growing community of foreign merchants in the port city of Nagasaki soon after the end of the Japanese government's Seclusion Policy. It is Japan’s oldest Gothic-style wooden building that has been designated a national treasure and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other sites linked to the persecution of Catholics in Japan. It was at this church that Christians who had been secretly continuing their practice re-emerged and declared their faith to the priest in what is known as “the Discovery of Christians.” Annie, a visitor from France, is surprised to hear the church bell, as it sounds just like the one in her hometown. In fact, the bell was manufactured in France and donated by Catholic benefactors. The bell carries a special message of hope left by those who secretly fought for the freedom of faith.