Footprints of Gracia Hosokawa (seven episodes)
About 400 years ago, during Japan's Warring States Period,
there was a Christian woman who loved Jesus Christ
with all her heart and followed Him with absolute trust.
5. The Proscription of Christianity
While Tama was confined in Midono, Hideyoshi subjugated the whole country
except for Kyushu, and built Osaka Castle. He then forced the feudal lords
to build their houses around the castle, and ordered them to have their
wives and children live there. The Hosokawa too built a splendid residence
in Tamatsukuri, Osaka. In this way, wives and children became virtual hostages,
and it became impossible for the feudal lords to rebel against Hideyoshi.
Since Hideyoshi allowed Tadaoki to be reconciled with Tama, Tama was recalled
from her banishment in Midono and moved to Tamatsukuri. This was in 1584
when Tama was 22 years old.
While the feudal lords were in camp, Hideyoshi, a sensualist, called their
wives to Osaka Castle, ostensibly so that he could sympathize with them
for their husbands’ absence. Really he was just making a fool of
them.Of course Tama, reputed to be “a woman of matchless beauty” was
also called into the presence of Hideyoshi. However, by this time Tama
was already strong in her faith and Hideyoshi sensed in her, unlike the
other women, a freedom from worldly desires. Because of this, Tama managed
to avoid falling victim to Hideyoshi. Tadaoki, however, then sent 17 ladies-in-waiting
to look after Tama and Tama was confined to the house and not allowed to
go out.
In 1587, when Tadaoki had gone to join the army in Kyushu, Tama went to
church disguised as a lady-in-waiting. That was on Easter Day and the visit
was to be both her first and her last. The missionary Takai Cosume was
preaching from the bible that day. Tama asked to be baptized, and when
Father Cespedes confirmed that Tama was not a spy of Hideyoshi's, he decided
to correspond with her, in question-and-answer form, since she was not
allowed to go out. In this way, Tama was able to ask various questions
using Kiyohara Maria and others as messengers and managed to clear up many
points that had puzzled her for a long time. However, Tama was not granted
the opportunity to go out and be baptized.
・Since Japan is the Nation of Shinto, it is forbidden to practice Christianity.
・Priests and missionaries are to be deported.
In the same year, Hideyoshi subjugated Kyushu, issued an edict proscribing
Christianity, and deported the missionaries. Despite the edict, Tama was
determined to be baptized and.her request was granted. Father Cespedes
taught Kiyohara Maria how to perform baptism at home and how Tama should
prepare for it. In this way Tama was baptized by Kiyohara Maria and received
the Christian name, “Gracia.”
Gracia’s faith in Christ was affected not only by Kiyohara Maria, but
also by Takayama Ukon. Ukon and Tadaoki were close friends, and it
would seem that Tama heard about Ukon from Tadaoki. She may well have been
impressed by the way in which Ukon abandoned everything for the sake of
his faith. Ukon and Hideyoshi were friends and enjoyed the tea ceremony
together, yet Ukon continued fearlessly to propagate Christianity in front
of Hideyoshi. He did not seek for personal advantage or try to read the
ruler's expression what the ruler might be thinking. Ukon kept his faith
even after the edict banning Christianity. Exiled from his territory despite
being the lord of Takatsuki, he was called home to heaven in Manila. Tama
must have prayed to be able to show faith as strong as Ukon’s.