Ordination in Nagasaki (September 22, 1601)

On September 22, 1601, in Nagasaki, Sebastian Chimura and Aloysius Niabara were ordained as the first priests of Japan’s newly established church. Their ordination marked a turning point: the gospel was no longer only carried to Japan by foreign missionaries, but was being proclaimed, taught, and applied by shepherds raised up from among the Japanese believers themselves.

Coming only a few years after the 1597 martyrs of Nagasaki testified to Christ with their blood, this event quietly declared that persecution does not erase the church. It often purifies it, strengthens it, and presses it deeper into the lives of ordinary families who learn to pray, endure, and obey.

Sebastian Chimura and Aloysius Niabara

Chimura and Niabara stepped into ministry with the credibility of shared language, shared customs, and shared vulnerability. They were not distant religious officials; they were brothers among their own people, called to preach the Word, administer the sacraments, disciple converts, and comfort the suffering.

Their heroism was not loud, but steady: the courage to serve openly when hostility was rising, and the humility to feed Christ’s flock in everyday faithfulness. Their ordination embodied the prayer of Jesus: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37–38)

Nagasaki and the Testing of the Church

Nagasaki had become a vital center for Japanese Christianity, a place where congregations gathered, catechumens learned the faith, and believers encouraged one another amid mounting pressure. Political winds were shifting, suspicion toward Christianity was growing, and future crackdowns were nearing.

In such a setting, the presence of ordained Japanese pastors strengthened the church’s resilience. Shepherds who could teach clearly and counsel wisely were essential, because fear and confusion spread quickly when opposition intensifies.

Spiritual Legacy

The ordination of Chimura and Niabara reminded believers that God does not abandon His people. He raises faithful workers—called, trained, and sent—to guard doctrine and guard souls: “Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” (Acts 20:28)

Their witness still encourages: Christ builds His church in every nation, and He sustains it with courageous, prayerful shepherds even in the shadow of suffering.