Oe Church
| Oe Church is a majestic Romanesque-style sanctuary in Amakusa, built through the personal dedication of Father Garnier and the craftsmanship of Yosuke Tetsukawa to serve a community reunited with their faith. |
| Oe Tenshudo Church stands as a striking landmark on a hill overlooking the peaceful village of Oe. Its history is a testament to the revival of Catholicism in Amakusa after centuries of prohibition. Following the lifting of the ban in 1873, Masakichi Nishi, a believer from Kaminoshima, played a pivotal role in discovering and guiding the local “Hidden Christians” back to the Church. The current building, completed in 1931, was a labor of love funded largely by the personal savings of the French missionary Father Frédéric Louis Garnier, who spent 44 years serving the local community. The church was designed and built by the master architect Yosuke Tetsukawa, who chose a dignified Romanesque style that distinguishes it from his more common Gothic works. Its brilliant white walls and twin towers make it a beacon of the Amakusa region, and its interior is filled with light and a sense of profound tranquility. |
