2 bells to ring again at famed Nagasaki church after 80 years
The recast bell for Urakami Cathedral arrives from the United States. Archbishop Michiaki Nakamura of the Archdiocese of Nagasaki stands on the right and on the left is head priest Kenichi Yamamura of Urakami Cathedral. The photo was taken in Nagasaki on May 15. (Kengo Hiyoshi)
NAGASAKI—Eighty years after the atomic bomb destroyed one of the bells at Urakami Cathedral here, the pair will ring again thanks to the grandson of a doctor who worked on the Manhattan Project and American Catholics.
James L. Nolan Jr., a sociology professor at Williams College in the United States, led the project to recast the bell. The 62-year-old professor is the grandson of a doctor who participated in the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb.
The bell of Urakami Cathedral, which was destroyed by the atomic bomb on Aug. 9, 1945, was recast through the project with support from U.S. Catholics. The new bell was unveiled by the archdiocese of Nagasaki on May 15.
The church has used its other bell since the cathedral was rebuilt after the war.
The two bells are scheduled to ring together on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki on Aug. 9.
Urakami Cathedral, known as the 'Eastern world's largest cathedral' with twin bell towers at the time, was only 500 meters from the hypocenter of the atomic bombing.
The building was completely destroyed, as was the bell housed in the north tower. The south tower bell, which was found under the debris, has been used since the church was rebuilt in 1959.
Nolan's desire to recast the north tower bell started when he was working on a book on the atomic bombings. Nolan visited Nagasaki and learned that one of the bells at the cathedral had been destroyed.
In a show of solidarity for their brethren in Nagasaki, Catholics in the United States contributed donations for the recasting project.
The new bell has the same dimensions as the destroyed one, with a height of 66 centimeters, a diameter of 80.7 cm, a weight of 224 kilograms, and is made of bronze.
The atomic bombing in Nagasaki is said to have killed about 8,500 Catholics living around Urakami Cathedral.
'The bell will continue to ring as a prayer for the victims and for peace,' said Archbishop Michiaki Nakamura of the Archdiocese of Nagasaki.
Nolan said that he was happy to have an opportunity to express his desire for forgiveness to those who suffered from the atomic bombing.
The bell will be set in the north tower of Urakami Cathedral around mid-July. The church plans to ring the two bells at 11:02 a.m. on Aug. 9, the exact time the atomic bomb detonated 80 years ago.
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The Mainichi
25-05-2025
- The Mainichi
Restored Urakami Cathedral bell unveiled in Nagasaki as symbol of hope, reconciliation
NAGASAKI -- One of the two bells from the former Urakami Cathedral here, which was destroyed by the U.S. atomic bombing during World War II, was recently unveiled after being restored with donations from U.S. Catholics and others. After being exhibited, the bell is set to ring alongside its counterpart at 11:02 a.m. on Aug. 9, exactly 80 years after the bombing. The original Urakami Cathedral was completed in 1914 after 20 years of construction. The Romanesque-style brick cathedral with twin spires extending approximately 26 meters high was hailed as the largest in the East at the time. The spires housed a large and a small bell, which reportedly rang together only on special occasions like Christmas. On Aug. 9, 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, devastating the cathedral located about 500 meters northeast of the hypocenter. According to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Damage Records, dozens of priests and Christians were killed. The large bell from the south spire was miraculously recovered from the rubble and reinstalled in the rebuilt cathedral, but the smaller bell from the north spire was destroyed and remained lost. James Nolan Jr., 62, a professor of sociology at Williams College in the United States, proposed the donation. His grandfather was a physician involved in the Manhattan Project, which developed atomic bombs, and visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki as part of a survey team shortly after the bombings. Nolan compiled an account detailing his grandfather's conflicts over the atomic bombings based on records his grandfather left behind, and published the Japanese edition of a book in 2022, showing his deepest sympathy for Nagasaki. In May 2023, while visiting Nagasaki to write another book, Nolan met Kojiro Moriuchi, 72, a local Catholic and descendant of Japan's hidden Christians who went underground amid persecution during the Edo period (1603-1867). Moriuchi, also a second-generation hibakusha, or A-bomb survivor, told Nolan about the lost bell and suggested, "How wonderful it would be if American Catholics could donate a bell." Moved by the idea, Nolan gave lectures across the U.S., discussing the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the suffering of the survivors, the history of the hidden Christians and his desire to restore the Urakami Cathedral bell. He noted that many Americans were unaware of these facts, and donated money sometimes with tears in their eyes. More than 500 Catholic donors contributed approximately $105,000. Nolan introduced comments that accompanied donors' gifts. One person said, "May the second Nagasaki church bell be reinstalled and ring aloud with its right sibling for the end to war and nuclear disarmament." Another remarked, "This donation for the bell is to heal the wounds of this war and progress toward world peace." A company in St. Louis, Missouri, handled the production of the bell, and it was cast in the Netherlands. Weighing 224 kilograms and measuring 66 centimeters high and 80.7 cm in diameter, it is made of bronze, and was restored with approximately the same size, shape and design as the small bell that was in place before the bombing. Nolan told the Mainichi Shimbun, "At the heart of the gift is our sense of sorrow for what the people of Nagasaki have suffered and our hope for reconciliation, forgiveness and peace. The gift is also an expression of our admiration, respect and gratitude for the incredible example of the Nagasaki Catholics, who throughout history endured unimaginable suffering and yet remained steadfast in their faith." Nolan observed the May 15 unveiling online. Archbishop Michiaki Nakamura of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nagasaki stated, "The fact that a new bell will ring out has great significance for Nagasaki, Japan, the United States and the entire world. I hope it will continue to ring as a bell of prayer for the victims and for peace." Kenichi Yamamura, the chief priest of Urakami Cathedral, added, "For us, the restoration of the bell shows the power to change what happened in the past toward a better path." With the restoration realized, Moriuchi said, "Urakami has experienced both persecution for faith and devastation from the atomic bombing. The bell, made as a gesture of understanding for this suffering and for people to join hands, will be an asset to humanity." Moriuchi had heard many times from his father about the aftermath of the bombing in Nagasaki and how his father baptized a schoolgirl who had collapsed on the street, and this has strengthened his desire for peace. His father also had a deep attachment to the cathedral bells, often saying, "When the two bells rang, it was magnificent." "The ringing of the two bells means peace. I hope that the sound of the bells will give people hope and become a source of comfort," said Moriuchi, looking forward to the moment when the bells will ring together.
Yomiuri Shimbun
24-05-2025
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Nagasaki Cathedral Receives U.S.-Donated Bell to Replace Previous One Damaged in A-Bombing
The Yomiuri Shimbun Visitors look at a new bell donated to Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki on Saturday. The bell replaces the previous one damaged in the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing. NAGASAKI — Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki has received a bell to replace one damaged due to the U.S. atomic bombing of the city. The new bell was completed under a U.S. project and is on display at a museum ahead of its installment. Urakami Cathedral was destroyed along with its twin towers when the atomic bomb exploded about 500 meters away on Aug. 9, 1945. The south tower bell was found nearly intact, while the north tower one was severely damaged. The south tower bell is now in the cathedral's replacement building that was completed in 1959. The donated bronze bell is almost the same size as its predecessor, measuring 66 centimeters in height, 80.7 centimeters in diameter and weighs 224 kilograms. Prof. James Nolan Jr. at Williams College launched the project to create and donate the bell by soliciting support from Catholics in the country. The 62-year-old professor is the grandson of James Nolan, who participated in the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb. The donated bell is on display through June 1 along with the damaged original. It is scheduled to be installed in the cathedral's north tower in July.
Asahi Shimbun
16-05-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
2 bells to ring again at famed Nagasaki church after 80 years
The recast bell for Urakami Cathedral arrives from the United States. Archbishop Michiaki Nakamura of the Archdiocese of Nagasaki stands on the right and on the left is head priest Kenichi Yamamura of Urakami Cathedral. The photo was taken in Nagasaki on May 15. (Kengo Hiyoshi) NAGASAKI—Eighty years after the atomic bomb destroyed one of the bells at Urakami Cathedral here, the pair will ring again thanks to the grandson of a doctor who worked on the Manhattan Project and American Catholics. James L. Nolan Jr., a sociology professor at Williams College in the United States, led the project to recast the bell. The 62-year-old professor is the grandson of a doctor who participated in the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb. The bell of Urakami Cathedral, which was destroyed by the atomic bomb on Aug. 9, 1945, was recast through the project with support from U.S. Catholics. The new bell was unveiled by the archdiocese of Nagasaki on May 15. The church has used its other bell since the cathedral was rebuilt after the war. The two bells are scheduled to ring together on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki on Aug. 9. Urakami Cathedral, known as the 'Eastern world's largest cathedral' with twin bell towers at the time, was only 500 meters from the hypocenter of the atomic bombing. The building was completely destroyed, as was the bell housed in the north tower. The south tower bell, which was found under the debris, has been used since the church was rebuilt in 1959. Nolan's desire to recast the north tower bell started when he was working on a book on the atomic bombings. Nolan visited Nagasaki and learned that one of the bells at the cathedral had been destroyed. In a show of solidarity for their brethren in Nagasaki, Catholics in the United States contributed donations for the recasting project. The new bell has the same dimensions as the destroyed one, with a height of 66 centimeters, a diameter of 80.7 cm, a weight of 224 kilograms, and is made of bronze. The atomic bombing in Nagasaki is said to have killed about 8,500 Catholics living around Urakami Cathedral. 'The bell will continue to ring as a prayer for the victims and for peace,' said Archbishop Michiaki Nakamura of the Archdiocese of Nagasaki. Nolan said that he was happy to have an opportunity to express his desire for forgiveness to those who suffered from the atomic bombing. The bell will be set in the north tower of Urakami Cathedral around mid-July. The church plans to ring the two bells at 11:02 a.m. on Aug. 9, the exact time the atomic bomb detonated 80 years ago.
