Reseña De" Nagasaki. Gesta Martirial En Japón (1597)" De J. Ignacio
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Bulletin of Portuguese - Japanese Studies ISSN: 0874-8438 [email protected] Universidade Nova de Lisboa Portugal Zambarbieri, Annibale Reseña de "Nagasaki. Gesta Martirial en Japón (1597)" de J. Ignacio Tellechea Idigoras (ed.) Bulletin of Portuguese - Japanese Studies, núm. 2, june, 2001, pp. 135-150 Universidade Nova de Lisboa Lisboa, Portugal Disponível em: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=36100207 Como citar este artigo Número completo Sistema de Informação Científica Mais artigos Rede de Revistas Científicas da América Latina, Caribe , Espanha e Portugal Home da revista no Redalyc Projeto acadêmico sem fins lucrativos desenvolvido no âmbito da iniciativa Acesso Aberto BPJS, 2001, 2, 135 - 162 BOOK REVIEWS J. Ignacio Tellechea Idigoras, peculiar to the culture of its original roots. Nagasaki. Gesta Martirial en Japón (1597) In fact, these subjects have not (Salamanca, Bibliotheca remained confined to academic Salamanticensis, 1998) research, but have also produced a unique literary echo in the work of the There has been a resurgence in contemporary writer Endo Shusaku, the field of historiography with regard almost as though to prove their rhap- to the initiatives undertaken by sodic ties to cultural mores and exis- European Catholics to evangelize tential meditation. Endo’s works, in Japan in the period between the mid part also due to the expressive medium sixteenth century and the 1640’s, when in which they are realized, vividly the policy of isolation imposed by the recreate the problems of the cultural Japanese forbade the activities of confrontation that unfolds between the foreign missionaries as well as the pro- two extremes of a transforming assim- fession of the Christian faith within the ilation versus an implacable impene- country. Excellent research has been trability. As is natural, he deals with done with regard to preaching and the the subject in a selective manner, some- catechesis; about the clash between times even in an exceedingly elemen- these and the indigenous culture; about tary fashion and on other occasions the often heroic attachment of many with intense psychological introspec- natives to the religion adopted from tion. At the same time, in the guise of the West, and the harrowing dilemmas real personalities, the narrator evokes that many Christians faced to reconcile the drama of the martyr and the loyalty towards the authorities with parallel of the renouncement of the their own convictions; about the dra- faith which had earlier been embraced matic defections on the part of some enthusiastically - a paradigm of irrec- natives and the courageous persever- oncilable extremes, despite all the ance of others; and about the choices contacts and efforts to achieve a made by certain groups to maintain a symbiosis. secret or disguised liturgical-devotional Recently, the Japanese cultural practice which was, however, reab- magazine Shincho published, in the sorbed in usages and persuasions, June 2000 issue, a previously unpub- 136 Book Reviews lished dramatic work by the young which include a detailed panorama of Endo - Saulo - that, by means of the the “spiritualists” of the sixteenth characters of this piece, highlights both century, and works on the philosophies the nebulous as well as very real para- of Miguel de Molinos and Bartolomé doxes and ties that formed the link de Carranza, as well as a stimulating between evangelization, martyrdom essay on Unamuno y los poetas. In the and apostasy. In his biographical book being reviewed he publishes profile, the text enables one to date invaluable texts that seek to recon- Endo’s approach to themes, which was struct an important event that left its already clearly defined. The themes are mark on the course of the interaction vividly recreated, although in an as yet between Eastern and Western civiliza- unrefined style, that would later ener- tions. The documentation consists of vate the narrative and the texts. books of manuscripts, authentic copies According to the requirements of original letters dating from the end of this method, the historian should of the sixteenth century, currently study the documentation that has indi- preserved in the Condumex Cultural rectly inspired the artist and incited Centre in Mexico City, archive him to render the essence of this inves- DCCCL-VIII-22. tigation imaginatively. At the first In reality, this material is not instance, one finds distinct compo- entirely unpublished, as the author nents that are linked both with politics himself hastens to warn the reader, and the economy, as well as with the adding that while in an advanced stage contrasts of mentalities and ecclesias- of transcription he came to know of tical choices. The work by Ignacio the existence of an edition published in Tellechea Idígoras offers the reader 1954 in Mexico City, Testimonios precisely this. It is an abundant body of auténticos de los originales de todas las testimonials about one of the many diligencias que hizo la Religión phases through which relations seráphica en la Santa Provincia de between Christianity and the Japanese Philipinas acerca del martyrio de los civilization passed, in the aforemen- santos San Pedro Baptista y sus tioned period, by an investigation of compañeros Protomartyres del new power equations in Japan and the Japón..Edición al cuidado de Julián European expansion worldwide. It Calvo, Agustin Millares y Max Aub. deals with the well known episode of The book, of which only one hundred the martyrdom of twenty six Chris- numbered copies were printed, is diffi- tians in Nagasaki on 5th February cult to peruse. For this reason, 1597, twenty of whom were Japanese. Tellechea Idígoras preferred to publish Tellechea Idígoras is an erudite scholar his own transcription, which is more renowned for his excellent works, accurate and faithful to the original Book Reviews 137 than the previous publication. In truth, century with great intelligence, were one must add that some of these docu- enthused by the fervid hope of a quick ments are known, having been utilized and glorious “conversion of the infi- by P. Lorenzo Pérez O. F. M. in studies dels”, and were likewise convinced which have been published in the that the simple credo of Franciscan “Archivo Ibero-Americano”, and then poverty represented the best guarantee later collected in the work “Cartas y for an effective apostolic approach. Relaciones del Japón” (3 Volumes, As one is aware, it is impor- Madrid 1916 - 1923): for example, the tant to remember the specific nature of letter dated 2nd February 1597 by the source that Tellechea Idígoras has Father Pedro Bautista to four of the copiously investigated. This is modeled religious prisoners (pp.284-286) can on published debates, undoubtedly sui be found in the first volume of Peréz generis, that refers to a “cause“ for (pp. 147-151), who in turn cited it beatification that both instructs and from the well known Historia by the takes one, pour cause, through a series Franciscan de Ribadeneira, which is of probative activities and an nowadays easily available: P. inevitable dialectic between MARCELO DE RIBADENEIRA, contrasting “theories“. It is to be Historia de las islas del archipiélago added that it was Urban VIII who Filipino y reinos de la Gran China, proclaimed the beatification of the Tartaria, Cochinchina, Malaca, Siam, martyrs of Japan, in keeping with a Cambodge y Japón, ed. J. R. de practice developed by Paul V. It was Legísima, Madrid 1997 (the letter in Urban VIII’s policy that oriented question can be found on pp. 446- canonical procedure in basic matters 448). that would become fundamental plat- However, this vast and meticu- forms : it is sufficient to recall the lously transcribed work by Tellechea compendium of norms published in Idígoras is a multifaceted prism, 1642 under the title Decreta servanda through which the researcher can exer- in canonizatione et beatificatione sanc- cise his capacity for observation and torum [....]. analysis and where one can further Of the ten cuadernos that clarify the circumstances that caused make up the legajo researched by missionaries from a Hispanic linguistic Tellechea Idígoras, eight are repro- and cultural (as well as political) back- duced there, beginning from the ground to go to Japan. These missio- second book, which starts with a peti- naries, who belonged to a different tion by Fr. Matías de Gamarra, the order than that which had initiated Procurator-General of the Lesser and prudently nurtured the process of Brothers in New Spain (Mexico). evangelization for almost half a Dated 21st February, 1598 and 138 Book Reviews presented to the Corregidor of the out missionary activities in all of East Spanish Crown in Mexico City, it Asia, as well as the text of the nine requested the canonization of six Fran- questions placed to the thirteen ciscan monks who had preached the witnesses who were aware of the Gospel “en los reynos del Japón”, and happenings. The relevant depositions were martyred along with a further in this regard, carried out between 7th diez y ocho Japanese (pp. 69-70). The and 14th July, 1597 were authenti- request was sent “a la presencia de la cated by a notary. In this book, the Sede Apostolica [....] y ante la Spanish translation of the inquest Mayestad del Rey nuestro Señor”. It is concerning these events is reproduced. important detail to note the number of The inquiry pertaining to these events, the martyrs which continued to vary in which was carried out by the “Bishop the initial reports, as well as in subse- of China”, Leonardo de Sá, in the role quent estimates, according to versions of apostolic ynquisador, was realized dictated by unique (at least for our between 10th May and 1st September present day sensibilities) motivations, 1597, with the participation of fifteen as we shall shortly see. witnesses. At the same time, from the The first book, which was not 7th May to 1st September i.e.