According to the 16 Apr 08 edition of the Mainichi Daily News, the Holy Grail has been destroyed in Japan. The article claims that sometime in January, "The Amagusa Kurishitankan (Christian Building) was demolished as part of a restoration project funded by the special road maintenance taxes and the Christians' Holy Grail was obliterated”.
The thought that the Grail resided in Japan might come as a incongruous to some. It’s not as far fetched as you might think if you consider the traditions of the Kakure Kirishitan, (Hidden Christians) and the village of Shingo in Japan. Shingo’s claim to fame is that that Jesus came to the island after his brother James took his place on the cross. In 1935, Sajiro Sawaguchi, a native Shingoite even claimed to be a descendant of Jesus.
What isn’t so evident about the January destruction of the Amagusa Kurishitankan is a matter of semantics. The article refers to the relics being destroyed in the Amagusa Kurishitankan and the Amagusa Kurishitankan also being thought of as the Kakure Kirishitan’s Holy Grail.
This begs the question could the Kakure Kirishitan’s have held the Grail? The answer might be that a military standard used by 17th century Japanese Christian Amagusa Shiro during a Christian rebellion against the Shogun is preserved was Amagusa Kurisuchian, depicts the Grail. In 1935, a golden cross was found in a Christian’s grave who fought against the Shogun. On the cross was an inscription in an indecipherable sentence that many believe will lead to treasure Amagusa Shiro had hidden. Some believe the Grail was part of that treasure horde.
Were these the relics that were destroyed in the Amagusa Kurisuchian in January? If so, this Grail tradition might very well have died with the destruction of the museum.
1 comment:
You'll notice the article refers in one spot, to the building itself as "The Holy Grail", implying it was considered highly by Japan's Christians--not that it contained THE Holy Grail, whatever that is.
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