COVER PAGE
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MANGA
CHRISTIANITY IN HIRADO
THE STORY OF
MOUNT MARUO
Luis de Almeida
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UNESCO World Heritage
Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region
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Story Tanaka Yoshitaka
Artwork Yonekura Yuji
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Published July 1, 2019, by the Culture and Exchange Division; Department of Culture, Tourism and Commerce and Industry; Hirado City Hall
PAGE 1
No. 1
MY NAME IS LUIS DE ALMEIDA.
IN 1561, AFTER PREACHING IN TAKUSHIMA, IKITSUKI, SHISHI, AND IIRA VILLAGES, I BOARDED A BOAT THE VILLAGERS HAD PREPARED AND HEADED FOR KASUGA, ANOTHER CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY.
No. 2
AT KASUGA, THE LOCAL CHRISTIANS HAD MADE A GRAVEYARD ON A HILL CALLED MOUNT MARUO. A LARGE CROSS SYMBOLIZED THE STRONG FAITH OF THE VILLAGERS.
THE VILLAGERS HAD BEEN EXPECTING US AND GAVE ME A JOYOUS WELCOME.
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I AM SAKICHI, THE HEAD OF THE COMMUNITY. YOU MUST BE TIRED AFTER YOUR LONG JOURNEY.
No. 4
ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY GOT SICK AND DIED. WE NEED TO PREPARE HER FOR BURIAL. I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND.
I WANT TO HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN. PLEASE TAKE ME TO HER.
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From one of Luis de Almeida’s letters
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No. 2
THERE’S NO REASON TO BE SAD. YOUR MOTHER HAS JUST EMBARKED ON A PEACEFUL JOURNEY TO PARADISE.
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ETERNAL REST GRANT UNTO HER, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT . . .
No. 5
SHINE UPON HER.
No. 6
RECEIVE HER SOUL, O LORD. GUIDE HER TO YOUR SIDE. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE. AMEN.
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No. 1
THANK YOU, MOTHER . . .
No. 2
FOR ALL YOU DID FOR ME. EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE NOW IN HEAVEN, I WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR SON.
No. 3
I MADE THIS ROSARY WHILE I WAS TRAVELING.
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I WANT YOU TO HAVE IT, SANNOSUKE. IT WILL KEEP YOU SAFE.
No. 5
MY NAME IS LUIS DE ALMEIDA.
KASUGA HAS BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF BOTH LAND AND SEA. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE DEVOUT AND GOOD.
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From one of Luis de Almeida’s letters
