Two paintings of Nagasaki Christian martyrs return to Japan after 94 years

There is great satisfaction in the Catholic world and in Japanese culture at the return, after 94 years, of two historic works of art by the Catholic painter Seikyo Okayama, born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1895 and deceased in 1977.

The two paintings are part of a cycle of 26 kakejiku, traditional Japanese paintings on scrolls designed to be hung vertically, which have until now been kept in the Vatican Museums. Each painting depicts one of the 26 martyrs who were crucified and pierced in the side with spears by their persecutors on Nishizaka Hill in Nagasaki in February 1597, after walking some 800 kilometres from Kyoto.

The public crucifixion and the long and humiliating journey, during which the prisoners were led in chains to their deaths in the odium fidei and had part of their left ear cut off as a sign of condemnation, were ordered by the daimyō Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the initiator of the persecutions, as a form of public shaming to dissuade the population from embracing Christianity.

Inspired by the story of the first Catholic martyrs beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1862, the artist chose to make them the centrepiece of the 26 kakejiku.

Each work is about 190 centimetres high and 75 centimetres wide and is made on silk with the help of paper and Japanese fabric borders. Using natural mineral colours together with gold or silver leaf to accentuate specific features according to the techniques of sacred iconography, these works are unparalleled and show a unique blend of Japanese artistic methods and Catholic faith.

Seikyo Okayama wanted to show the personality and spirituality of each of the martyrs through life-size images that reflected their origins, age and the importance of their contribution to the Catholic community.

Pope Pius XI gave permission in 1931, and the work was completed by the Japanese Church in 15 years, from 1915 to 1930, and they are now kept in the Vatican. In May 2025, thanks to the efforts of Cardinal Takamatsu Manyo Maeda of the Archdiocese of Osaka, permission was granted for the temporary return of two Kakejiku. Since 2018, he has been working with other Christian friends in talks with the Vatican for the return of some paintings by the artist from Okayama to their homeland, with the intention of reducing the damage caused by various conditions.

These two kakejiku will be on display to the public at the Tamatsukuri Church in Osaka from July to 15 September, along with twenty-four copies of other works. The two works depict the life of Saint Francis Kichi, a layman and carpenter who, despite a ban, accepted baptism, declared his Catholic faith and refused to leave it! he was crucified between the ages of 19 and 21. On the contrary, St James Kisai, a Jesuit brother and catechist, worked with the Jesuit mission in the Osaka area, where he was arrested and then crucified at the age of 64, becoming the oldest martyr to have shed his blood for the faith! He was one of 26 martyrs and the only Japanese member of the Society of Jesus.

Chikako Kinoshita, 55, great-granddaughter of Okayama, expressed her deep feelings about the event in a letter to journalists: "I feel like I am dreaming.

Cardinal Maeda stressed the value of the exhibition for education and evangelisation, saying: 'I believe that many people still don't know the identity of the 26 martyrs' He expressed the hope that through this exhibition, visitors will be able to better understand the historical context of persecution, and will be encouraged to reflect on the importance of religious freedom and the dignity of life.