Shimabara & Amakusa
Atlas / Shimabara & Amakusa
A fishing village where the faithful prayed using the objects of the sea, and a Gothic church now stands among the houses.
The Christians of Sakitsu continued their faith in secret by using everyday objects, such as shells and fishing tools, as devotional items, and by attending the local shrine. The village is a component of the UNESCO property.
The present church was built in 1934 under the French priest Augustin Halbout. Its altar stands where villagers were once made to tread on fumie, the images used to expose Christians.
