The Archdiocese of Tokyo has celebrated the 150th anniversary of its first Catholic church: the Church of Tsukiji, dedicated to St. Joseph in 1874. A special Mass was celebrated at the church by Archbishop of Tokyo, Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi, who has also served as President of Caritas Internationalis since May 13, 2023.
The church in Tsukiji was established by the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP) and it became the foundation for the Archdiocese of Tokyo, which was officially established in 1891. The Tsukiji church was elevated to become the archdiocese’s first cathedral at its inception, but this honor was transferred to St. Mary’s Church when the latter was built in 1920.
The oldest church in Tokyo has existed as the Old Cathedral of St. Joseph ever since, and was recognized as a historic Tokyo building in 1999.
In his homily at the June 30 Mass, Archbishop Kikuchi spoke on the history of the Old Cathedral and traced the history of Christianity in the island nation of Japan:
"As 150 years ago, we face many challenges today, but our hope is as strong as it was then, as that of the missionaries who built this church, as that of the Catholic community of that time.” Archbishop Kikuchi noted the extraordinary difficulties faced by the missionaries and the "hope and cooperation between foreign missionaries and the Japanese faithful on which the Church in Japan was built.”
Confident despite worries
The archbishop used this as a pivot point to highlight some of the challenges modern Christians face in Japan, such as a dwindling population and the realities faced by an aging society. Still, Archbishop Kikuchi approached the topic with hope and positivity, stating: "The Church exists in this reality and, just like the missionaries 150 years ago, we are confident despite the worries."
About 30% of Japan's population is over 65 years old and its population growth rate is a negative 0.43%, one of the lowest growth rates in the world.
In his comments, the archbishop also turned his attention to current armed conflicts taking place in Ukraine, Gaza, and Myanmar, expressing his desire for the Church to be a source of light in dark times:
"It seems that the world is increasingly dominated by violence that disregards life. In these situations, we are a Church that radiates the light of hope. This light is lit by mutual support, synodality, solidarity and, above all, by the presence of the Lord who walks with us.”
