That mutilated statue, now known as Our Lady of Nagasaki or Hibaku no Maria (“Bombed Mary”), has become a living symbol of hope and resilience.
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OnAugust9,1945,thecityofNagasakiwasstruckbythesecondatomicbombinhistory.
TheepicenteroftheexplosionlayjustmetersfromUrakamiCathedral—thenthelargestCatholicchurchintheEast.Amidthesmolderingruins,somethingunexpectedwasfound:thecharredheadofastatueofOurLady–itseyesburnedout,adeepgashacrossitsface,andanexpressionthatseemedtocontemplatethesufferingofherpeople.
UrakamiCathedral,PublicDomainThatmutilatedstatue,nowknownasOurLadyofNagasakiorHibakunoMaria(“BombedMary”),hasbecomealivingsymbolofhopeandresilience.Formany,itisproofthatevenwheneverythingappearsdestroyed,Maryremainswithherchildren.
Afacemarkedbypain…andcompassionTheatomicbombinstantlyclaimedmorethan70,000livesandleftthousandsmorewithincurableinjuriesandillnesses.Fromtherubble,missionariesandsurvivorsrecoveredthestatueofMary—wounded,butstillrecognizable.
Yearslater,duringavisittoNagasaki,PopeFran
