I usually attend mass in a chapel in Suita but not on this special Sunday. We are celebrating a mass for the International Day so we traveled for an hour and a half by train to a cathedral in Morinomiya. It was the first time for me to see a big Catholic church in Japan, much more attend a Japanese mass. And upon entering the church, something or rather someone inside really caught my eye. She was surprisingly unrecognizable at first glance but after peeling away the details I soon realized that it was Mother Mary herself in a way I have ever seen her before. She had chinky eyes and she was clothed in Japanese kimono.
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| One of the early Japanese martyrs who supported Christianity in Japan |
The church was no different than what I expected it to be. Aside from some portraits of Japanese martyrs, typical elements such as tall windows adorned with stained glass, the stations of the cross, the crucifix..they were all there.
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| Stained Glass Depiction of the Holy Family |
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| Outside the Church |
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| Song book and verses in many languages |
What is most interesting is the mass itself, where songs, prayers and readings are in different languages. There were so many people from different countries- Koreans, Spaniards, Vietnamese, Japanese..it was so diverse. And while I find myself often lost in translation, the feeling of solitude and peace I feel in the Father's presence is still unmatched.
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