先日ＮＣＣ（長崎文化放送）で『長崎の教会群を世界遺産に』という番組がありました。番組によると、１８７３年の禁教令廃止以降、明治・大正・昭和初期にかけて全国に建てられた１０８棟の教会のうち、その約半数の５６棟が長崎にあるそうです。去年の夏ちょうど上五島の教会巡りをしてきたので、今日はそのお話をしたいと思います。
上五島の中通島へは、長崎港から島のちょうど真ん中にある鯛ノ浦港まで高速船で約一時間半。レンタカーを借りて３日間でほとんど全ての教会を巡ってきました。真っ白な教会、瓦葺きの教会、レンガ造りの教会など、どれも個性的な佇まいで、建設から１００年以上経った今もなおその風格を保ち続けています。
教会と言えばこのステンドグラス。窓の外から差し込む太陽の光を通し、薄暗い教会を鮮やかに色づけていました。内装で独特だなぁと思ったのは、いくつかの教会の天井に椿の花が彫り込まれていたことです。椿は上五島を代表する花で、その装飾には地元の人たちの熱心な信仰心と教会の建設に関わった棟梁達のこの島への愛着を感じました。
私が巡った教会は、現在もミサが行われ、手入れが行き届いている教会ばかりです。五島の教会群の中には、その一方で、人が通わなくなり朽ち果ててしまったものもあるようです。今後も島の人口が減り続ければ、同じような運命をたどる教会が出てくるかも知れません。世界遺産にできるかどうかは分からないけど、これからもこのステキな教会群を後世に残していってほしいなぁ
ちなみに私が今後行ってみたい教会は、小値賀の野崎島にある野首教会。長崎の教会の多くを手がけた鉄川与助さんの最初のレンガ造りの教会です。（野崎島は今は無人島になっていますが、廃校になった校舎を使って自然学校を開いているそうです）あとは平戸の近くの田平教会かな。あとは…
行きたい所がまだまだあるな。また長崎探訪の旅に出かけなくっちゃ
I saw a TV program about the churches of Nagasaki. According to the program, Japanese christians built a lot of churches everywhere in Japan after the prohibition of christianity was abolished in 1873. The number was 108 and 56 of them were built in Nagasaki. Some people want those churches to be the World Heritage and they were making efforts now. I went to Goto Islands last summer and visited a lot of churches so I'll tell you about them today.
I got to Tainoura Port at the center of Nakadouri-Island by ship. It took about an hour and a half from Ngasaki Port. I rent a car and toured all over the island for three days. I saw a many different types of churches, white church, brick church, and a Japanese tile(kawara)-roofed church, and so on. They all had their own identity and remained their elegance after more than 100 years.
Stained glass is necessary for church. Look at this photo.It colored the dark inside of the church beaytufully. There are some camellia flower(Tsubaki in Japanese) designed in the stained glass and on the ceilling. Camellia is the flower of Goto Island. I think people who involved in the construction loved these churches as well as camellia flowers.
All churches I saw in Goto Islands were kept in good condition but I knew the fact that some churches disappeared in the program. Though I wonder if the churches can become the World Heritage, I want to conserve these wonderful architectures.
Now I'm very interested in Nokubi church in Nozaki Island next to Ojika island, which was designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke who designed a lot of churches in Nagasaki. It was the first brick church he had designed. (Nozaki island is now uninhabited but Nature School is opened at a closed school by Ojika sightseeing association.) And also I want to visit Tabira church and ... there are a lot of places I want to go!
上五島の中通島へは、長崎港から島のちょうど真ん中にある鯛ノ浦港まで高速船で約一時間半。レンタカーを借りて３日間でほとんど全ての教会を巡ってきました。真っ白な教会、瓦葺きの教会、レンガ造りの教会など、どれも個性的な佇まいで、建設から１００年以上経った今もなおその風格を保ち続けています。
教会と言えばこのステンドグラス。窓の外から差し込む太陽の光を通し、薄暗い教会を鮮やかに色づけていました。内装で独特だなぁと思ったのは、いくつかの教会の天井に椿の花が彫り込まれていたことです。椿は上五島を代表する花で、その装飾には地元の人たちの熱心な信仰心と教会の建設に関わった棟梁達のこの島への愛着を感じました。
私が巡った教会は、現在もミサが行われ、手入れが行き届いている教会ばかりです。五島の教会群の中には、その一方で、人が通わなくなり朽ち果ててしまったものもあるようです。今後も島の人口が減り続ければ、同じような運命をたどる教会が出てくるかも知れません。世界遺産にできるかどうかは分からないけど、これからもこのステキな教会群を後世に残していってほしいなぁ
ちなみに私が今後行ってみたい教会は、小値賀の野崎島にある野首教会。長崎の教会の多くを手がけた鉄川与助さんの最初のレンガ造りの教会です。（野崎島は今は無人島になっていますが、廃校になった校舎を使って自然学校を開いているそうです）あとは平戸の近くの田平教会かな。あとは…
行きたい所がまだまだあるな。また長崎探訪の旅に出かけなくっちゃ
I saw a TV program about the churches of Nagasaki. According to the program, Japanese christians built a lot of churches everywhere in Japan after the prohibition of christianity was abolished in 1873. The number was 108 and 56 of them were built in Nagasaki. Some people want those churches to be the World Heritage and they were making efforts now. I went to Goto Islands last summer and visited a lot of churches so I'll tell you about them today.
I got to Tainoura Port at the center of Nakadouri-Island by ship. It took about an hour and a half from Ngasaki Port. I rent a car and toured all over the island for three days. I saw a many different types of churches, white church, brick church, and a Japanese tile(kawara)-roofed church, and so on. They all had their own identity and remained their elegance after more than 100 years.
Stained glass is necessary for church. Look at this photo.It colored the dark inside of the church beaytufully. There are some camellia flower(Tsubaki in Japanese) designed in the stained glass and on the ceilling. Camellia is the flower of Goto Island. I think people who involved in the construction loved these churches as well as camellia flowers.
All churches I saw in Goto Islands were kept in good condition but I knew the fact that some churches disappeared in the program. Though I wonder if the churches can become the World Heritage, I want to conserve these wonderful architectures.
Now I'm very interested in Nokubi church in Nozaki Island next to Ojika island, which was designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke who designed a lot of churches in Nagasaki. It was the first brick church he had designed. (Nozaki island is now uninhabited but Nature School is opened at a closed school by Ojika sightseeing association.) And also I want to visit Tabira church and ... there are a lot of places I want to go!