On Thursday 23 July 2026 at 7.00 pm (AEST), Assoc. Prof. Maika Nakao of Hiroshima University will present a lecture entitled “Exploring the deep Christian roots of Nagasaki and its response to the atomic bombing.”

Nagasaki has occupied a unique place in the history of Christianity in Japan for more than four centuries. From the arrival of the first missionaries in the sixteenth century, through centuries of persecution and the remarkable survival of the Hidden Christians, to the rebirth of the Catholic community in the nineteenth century, the city’s Christian heritage has become known throughout the world.

That history reached its darkest moment on 9 August 1945, when the atomic bomb exploded over the Urakami Valley, destroying Urakami Cathedral – often described as the largest cathedral in the East – and devastating the heart of Japan’s largest Catholic community.

Drawing on her extensive research into the history of nuclear science, memory and post-war Japan, Assoc. Prof. Nakao will examine how Nagasaki’s Christian community responded to this catastrophe and how faith shaped the ways survivors remembered, interpreted and rebuilt their lives after the bombing. The webinar will explore the intersection of religion, history and memory while considering the continuing significance of Nagasaki’s witness for peace in today’s world.

This promises to be a fascinating presentation for anyone interested in Christian history, Japan, peace studies, social history and the enduring resilience of communities of faith.