On this day, 78 years ago, the United States dropped the second atomic bomb on Japan, targeting Nagasaki. This city holds a poignant legacy of Christian martyrs hailing from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Upon the detonation of the bomb, dubbed "Fat Man," the Japanese Catholic community, though modest in size, suffered a catastrophic loss, with two-thirds of its members perishing in the ensuing blaze.
Following the devastation inflicted upon Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the U.S. military, led by President Harry Truman, initially aimed at Kokura, seeking to compel Japan's surrender. Unfavorable weather conditions prompted a change of plans, redirecting the attack to Nagasaki.
Nagasaki's population numbered around 240,000 residents. Although the American targeting slightly missed the city center, the consequences remained devastating. Approximately 75,000 people lost their lives instantly. In the days that ensued, a comparable number succumbed to radiation-related injuries and illnesses.
A Historical Haven of Japanese Catholicism Amidst Tragedy
Since the 16th century, Nagasaki has stood as a pivotal hub of Catholicism in Japan, initially evangelized by Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries.
The immediate persecution against Catholics in Nagasaki was vividly recounted in the memoirs of Cardinal Giacomo Biffi in 2007. His reflections underscored the profound impact that the news of the 1945 atomic bombings in Japan had on him.
Cardinal Biffi wrote, "Nagasaki was not an unfamiliar name to me. It frequently appeared in Giuseppe Schmidlin's 'Manual of the History of Catholic Missions,' a three-volume work published in Milan in 1929. It was in Nagasaki, starting from the 16th century, that the first enduring Catholic community in Japan was born."
On February 5, 1597, Nagasaki witnessed the martyrdom of 36 faithful who laid down their lives for Christ — six Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits, and 26 laypeople — all canonized by Pius IX in 1862.
Amidst persecution, as many as 35,000 Christians were martyred in 1637. The surviving community persevered in relative isolation, functioning like a hidden underground church, bereft of priests, yet refusing to be extinguished.
In 1865, Father Bernard Petitjean rediscovered this "clandestine Church." It was revealed to him once they were certain of his celibacy, devotion to Mary, and allegiance to the Pope in Rome. This allowed the sacramental life to be rekindled.
Nearly two decades later, in 1889, full religious freedom was proclaimed in Japan, marking a period of revitalization. The Diocese of Nagasaki was canonically established on June 15, 1891. In 1927, Bishop Januarius Hayasaka assumed leadership — the first Japanese bishop personally consecrated by Pius IX. Cardinal Biffi observed, "In 1929, out of 94,096 Japanese Catholics, approximately 63,698 were from Nagasaki."
Thus, prior to the tragic atomic events, more than 63,000 faithful resided in Nagasaki.
In light of this historical account of Catholicism in the city, Cardinal Biffi questioned, "It's reasonable to assume that the atomic bombs were not dropped randomly. The inevitable query arises: Why, among all cities, was Japan's city with the most profound Catholic history and wide-spread faith, Nagasaki, chosen for the second catastrophic event?"