Hello, I have a special announcement for today. My reprint of "Two Japanese Christian Heroes" is now (finally) available for purchase. Here is the link:

Some extra information concerning Maxencia, her ties to the influential Mori family, and even a poem written by her own hand can be found here:

This is my first post featuring a scan from Hidden Kirishitan of Japan Illustrated. More is to come.

I usually summarize these sorts of articles but this one is too interesting (and complex!) to not link to in the main post. I wish the Institute kept their X profile up to date with new articles.

I think I will starting posting illustrations/excerpts from this book to the account soon. It's been in my collection of resources for a while, and now that I have a good way to scan pages it would be a waste to not share.

This is perhaps exemplified in the myth of Cathay, a supposed Christian kingdom north of China. The truth was that China WAS Cathay, and the reports of Christian believers was grossly exaggerated if even accurate at all. Jesuit Bento de Góis's efforts helped clear this myth.

The Virgin Mary and Christ leading a group of angels in heaven. Note the traditional instruments held by the angels. The artist is Chinese Catholic Chen Yuandu.

I'll finish this thread with a quote from St. Thomas Kozeki, one of the youngest of the martyrs, put to death at the age of 15. 3/3

Read more here:

You can read an interview with Daniel Mitsui in an English-language Japanese newspaper here:

A painting by Shim Soon-hwa Catherine of Saint Joseph and Christ dressed in traditional Korean clothing.

Pictured here are elaborate bronze astronomical instrument constructed with the help of Jesuits in China. The Society of Jesus introduced many novel advances in the sciences to Ming China, even helping in the Imperial reform of the calendar.

RT @TheChurchInAsia: "Jesus Dedicated in the Temple," by Chinese Catholic artist Chen Yuandu.

It's still a ways away but I do plan on attending and covering (hopefully live) World Youth Day 2027 in South Korea. It will be the first time such an event happens in East Asia and the second time WYD is held in Asia at all.