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RELIGIOUS UTTERANCES - art of faith introduces the reader to humanity's historic relationship between art and faith. This daily series of articles examines the interlacing of art and faith from across the Anglican Communion. The title of the series, Religious Utterances, comes from systematic theologian Dr. Cecilia Gonzalez-Andrieu, whose work seeks "a recovery of humanity's religious utterances through art."
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RELIGIOUS UTTERANCES - art of faith
Four in a series: Christian Martyrs of Nagasaki
Theme: Remembrance

This painting depicts the events surrounding the martyrdom of a group of Christians who were executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597 at Nagasaki, known as the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan (日本二十六聖人, Nihon Nijūroku Seijin).

On February 5, 1597, twenty-six Christians – six European Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits and seventeen Japanese laymen including three young boys – were executed by crucifixion in Nagasaki. These individuals were raised on crosses and then pierced through with spears.

Nippon Sei Ko Kai, a member of the Anglican Communion, added the martyrs to their calendar in 1959 to commemorate all the martyrs of Japan. The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America added the commemoration to their calendars during the revision of their respective prayer books in late 1970’s. Some parts of the Anglican Communion and the ELCA commemorate the martyrs of Japan on February 5 and the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England commemorate them on February 6.

Text: Wikipedia

On View: Christian Martyrs Of Nagasaki, date and artist unknown.