Epicenter of a Storm

A shawl of snow covers a statue of Saint Francis Xavier at a shine in Massachusetts.

   Four centuries of struggle contributed to a cruel irony.
   The story begins with Saint Francis Xavier. He and his Jesuits introduced Christianity to Japan. It happened during the 1500's.
   Later in that century, persecutions of Christians began. During a mass crucifixion, the victims sang and prayed. Spectators came to respect them. The official in charge was mortified by this reaction. Rather than tamping down Christianity, the execution enhanced the image of that faith.
   Over two centuries later, a visitor from France made a discovery. Thousands of holdout Christians were practicing their faith. Many lived in the Urakami Valley. They did so under the radar of the authorities.
   The Urakami Valley grew into a city. Christians were eventually permitted to worship. They built Saint Mary's Cathedral. It became the epicenter of Catholic faith in Japan.
   Here's the irony: A pilot flew over the valley. He and his crew were Christians. He noticed the cathedral through a break in the clouds. He steered over it. An order was given. A bomb was dropped.
  The atomic blast incinerated Nagasaki. Saint Mary's Cathedral was reduced to ash and rubble.
  Hiroshima was also targeted. A group of four men survived near the epicenter of that blast. They worked at a Catholic church. Some people believe their survival was a miracle.
   The survivors were Jesuit priests.