We’ve visited many churches on this trip. But our final stop is not a church. It is instead a small cave, accessible only by boat. It extends about 50 meters deep with a height of around 5 meters. There’s barely any space to move. Still, there were those who chose this place.
In 1868, during the persecution known as the “Collapse of Gotō,” twenty people hid in this cave. They hoped they’d never be found. They must have believed it as they prayed in the darkness, away from prying eyes. They lived this way for four months.
Just a little longer. Only a few years left until the ban was repealed. But one fateful morning, it happened. Smoke from a cooking fire billowed out to sea, leading a fisherman to their hiding place. They were arrested and tortured. Their wounds would never fade. Some sustained leg injuries so deep that they’d never walk without a limp again.
Today, a large statue of Jesus Christ and the cross stands at the mouth of the cave, so that the memory of those who protected the faith here would never disappear. A monument raised by later generations.
On this trip, you encountered more than mere churches. You learned about the believers who prayed in hiding. Each one led a different life, but they all shared the same wish: “Let this prayer never die.” It wasn’t the church alone, but the people who protected the faith. That is why, even after more than 250 years, their belief has never disappeared.
Please take a look at the island map once more.
Kamigotō Island floats at the western edge of the Sea of Japan. People went to that island, hid in its mountains, escaped to its waves, and all the while they never abandoned their prayers. Also, if you look back, our trip took us from Kamigotō to Nakadori Island; west to east, north to south. A route that uncannily resembles a cross…
…Or perhaps it’s just a coincidence. Still, here and now, at the end of your trip, that shape may seem miraculous. A miracle drawn by long prayers upon the sea.
