Memorial Cathedral for World Peace (1)

Photo courtesy of  http://www.arch-hiroshima.net

Hiroshima’s spiritual and architectural gem, the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace, stands 10 to 15-minute walk away from JR Hiroshima Station.

On the wall of the second level of the belfry are the inscriptions referring to the significance of the cathedral. On its west side in Japanese; the east side in Latin.

Its English translation from the cathedral's official web site is as follows:

This church was erected in memory of the victims of the first atomic bomb, dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, and as a sign of peace for all nations, symbolizing the true and only way that leads to peace with God and man: the way of truth, not of deception; of justice, not of violence; of love, not of hate. Therefore all who enter this church are earnestly requested to offer their prayers for the eternal repose of the departed and for peace among the peoples of the world.

The sixth day of August in the year 1954

And the Japanese version of the inscription:  　　 

此の聖堂は、昭和20年8月6日広島に投下されたる世界最初の原子爆弾の犠牲となりし人々の追憶と慰霊のために、また万国民の友愛と平和のしるしとしてここに建てられたり。 而して此の聖堂によりで恒に伝へらるべきものは虚偽に非ずして真実、権力に非ずして正義、憎悪に非ずして慈愛、即ち人類に平和をもたらす神への道たるべし。故に此の聖堂に来り拝するすべての人々は、逝ける犠牲者の永遠の安息と人類相互の恒久の平安とのために祈られんことを。　　　　

昭和29年8月6日

Latin inscription

Japanese inscription

Hugo LASSALLE, an A-bomb survivor, went back to his “church” four months after the A-bombing. People around him naturally thought it was too early and too hard to start church activities in the ruins of Hiroshima and stopped him not to. Besides, he had just recovered from his injury and symptoms caused by the A-bomb devastation. He went ahead anyway and it was at a shabby small hut made of board and corrugated tin, where he fostered his dream of building a peace cathedral to pay homage to the A-bomb victims.

People, including a fellow priest, thought it was impossible but he didn’t budge and took action. In August 1946, he left Japan to attend a big conference in Vatican held in the following year. On the way, he went to New York City as the first A-bomb survivor that visited the US. At a press conference, he said that he would ask the Holy Sea to help Hiroshima and talk about his A-bomb experiences to the peoples of the world.

The cathedral was completed in 1954 taking four years after the construction was launched. It took more than necessary due to unexpected complications like the ground more fragile than expected, price hikes caused by the Korean War, etc. Without dedication and devotion of all those concerned, the project would not have been completed.  

How the architect who designed the cathedral was chosen is an interesting topic in itself. For this refer to “arch-hiroshima” whose English pages for this cathedral and some others were translated by me from the original Japanese articles by web master Makoto.

Hugo LASSALLE was born in Germany, ordained as a Jesuit priest, and traveled to Japan as a missionary in 1929. He came to Hiroshima in 1940 and served as a parish priest. He developed interest in Japanese Buddhist practices and studied Zen extensively. He embraced Zen Buddhism, believing Zen would be useful for Roman Catholic Christianity, which was not well-appreciated by Vatican. He became a naturalized Japanese in 1948 and named himself ENOMIYA Makibi, a very old-fashioned name. He was made an honorary citizen of Hiroshima in 1968 soon after his departure from Hiroshima. After 1968, he spent much of his time in Europe leading Zen retreats and encouraging Zen practice among Christians. He died in former West Germany while visiting there. He was 91.