‘It will likely end with our generation,' Japan's last ‘hidden Christians' face extinction
On the island of Ikitsuki, in western Japan, the last members of a local Christian church gather to intone a unique prayer that blends Latin, Portuguese, and Japanese languages. The Kakure Kirishitan, or 'hidden Christians' in Japanese, are descendants of the first Christian converts from the 16th century who had to hide their religion to avoid persecution by warlords. Today, the Kakure church faces extinction as the number of followers has dwindled over the years, and the younger generation is leaving their ancestral homes to work in urban centres.
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