| 1550 |
Francisco Xavier and others who came to mission in Japan attempt to gain
an audience with the Emperor, but are unable to. |
| 1560 |
After Jesuit missionary Francisco Xavier leaves Japan, a Japanese Jesuit
who continued missionary work in the country, receives permission from
the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiki to open a church on Shijo in Kyoto. |
| 1587 |
A missionary expulsion order is issued, but missionary work continues secretly. |
| 1596 |
Again an order is issued for the capture and imprisonment of Franciscan
missionaries and all Christians living in Kyoto. A total of 24 people in
Osaka and Kyoto, 7 Franciscan members, 3 Jesuit officials and 14 faithful
lay members of the church are captured, their left earlobes are cut off
at Horikawa Doujya Ichijo Bridge, and they are paraded around the city. |
| 1597 |
An order to execute the 24 people in Nagasaki is issued so they are marched
to Nagasaki from Kyoto. Two more Christians joined them along the way,
and so a total of 26 Kyoto area Christians are executed in Nagasaki. |
| 1612 |
An order to destroy all denominations of Christians is issued, and various
other churches in the vicinity of Kyoto are destroyed. |
| 1619 |
On October 6, near Kamogawa, 52 believers are martyred. They are burned
to death. Eleven of them are children. |
| 1866 |
A French Foreign Missionary who learns about the history of the martyrdom
in Japan makes a bronze statue of the Madonna. The statue is gifted to
the church of Kyoto for installation on a hill overlooking the city but
it is buried in the Higashiyama Shogun's mound by Father Vigreux to keep
it safe from destruction. |
| 1873 |
The Prohibition against Christianity is abolished. |
| 1879 |
Father Virion of the Paris Foreign Mission arrives in the city and recovers
the "Our Lady of the City" statue. Father Virion rents a house
at Takakura Nijo, opens a French language school, uses the place as a temporary
cathedral and resumes his missionary work. |
| 1881 |
The temporary cathedral is moved to the main business district of town. |
| 1882 |
The temporary cathedral is moved to Sanjo Takakura. |
| 1888 |
Purchase of the land and the mansion at the location of the present Kawaramachi
church. Construction of the original church is begun. |
| 1889 |
On July 25, the foundation ceremony is held at Saint Francis Xavier Church. |
| 1890 |
On May 1st, the dedication ceremony of the Saint Francis Xavier church
is held. |
| 1930 |
The 50th anniversary celebration of the Kyoto mission is held. |
| 1937 |
The Kyoto Apostolic Prefecture is newly established from the Osaka Diocese.
It’s jurisdiction includes the prefectures of Nara, Mie and Shiga, along
with the Prefecture of Kyoto. |
| 1951 |
The Kyoto Apostolic Prefecture becomes the current Kyoto Diocese and the
Catholic Kawaramachi Church becomes the Cathedral of the Bishop of Kyoto. |
| 1967 |
A new cathedral is erected. (The old church is moved to Meiji village in
Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, and is currently preserved as a National
Cultural asset). |
| 1980 |
The 100th anniversary of the Kyoto mission church is held. |
| 2017 |
The 50th anniversary commemorative mass of the new cathedral is held. |
