May 1st

May 1st, 1638, is the date on which the three Portuguese missionaries—Sebastian Rodrigues, Francisco Garrpe, and Juan de Santa Marta—arrived in Macao, completing the first leg of their journey from Lisbon. This date is recorded in Rodrigues' first letter from Macao, where he notes that they reached the Portuguese trading post on May 1st after departing from Goa on October 9th of the previous year. The arrival in Macao was a critical juncture: it brought them to the doorstep of Japan, the ultimate destination of their dangerous mission, and placed them under the authority of Alessandro Valignano, the rector of the college there, who would initially oppose their plan to enter the persecuted country.

Context and Significance of the Date

The date May 1st is situated within the broader historical and thematic framework of the novel Silence. The translator's preface explains that Christianity was brought to Japan by Francis Xavier in 1549, and that the mission flourished until the Tokugawa shogunate's brutal persecution, culminating in the 1614 edict expelling all missionaries. By 1638, when Rodrigues and his companions arrived in Macao, Japan had become a 'swamp' that, according to the novel's thesis, could not absorb Western Christianity. The date thus marks the moment when the missionaries, driven by a desire to atone for Ferreira's apostasy and to support the hidden Christians, stood at the threshold of this hostile land. Rodrigues' letter from Macao, written on or shortly after May 1st, conveys his determination to proceed despite Valignano's warnings about the dangers, including the Shimabara Rebellion and the closure of Japanese ports to Portuguese ships.

Rodrigues' Spiritual and Psychological State

In his letter dated May 1st, Rodrigues reveals his deep emotional and spiritual preoccupations. He reflects on the face of Christ, which he describes as 'the face of the picture preserved in Borgo San Sepulchro,' a face filled with vigour and strength that he has loved since his seminary days. This idealized image of Christ becomes a central motif in his journey, representing his faith and his personal connection to the divine. The date also marks a moment of transition: Rodrigues and Garrpe are preparing to depart for Japan within five days, leaving behind the ailing Juan de Santa Marta, who is too ill to continue. Rodrigues writes that he feels 'great love for that face' of Christ, and that he is 'fascinated by the face of Christ just like a man fascinated by the face of his beloved.' This intense, almost romantic devotion to Christ's image will later be shattered when he is forced to trample on the fumie, a moment that occurs after his capture and interrogation.

Thematic Resonance: The Face of Christ and the Swamp of Japan

The date May 1st is also linked to the novel's exploration of cultural and theological conflict. The translator's preface notes that Endo's thesis is that Christianity must adapt to the 'swamp of Japan,' a metaphor for the country's cultural and spiritual landscape that absorbs and distorts foreign ideologies. Rodrigues' arrival in Macao on May 1st sets the stage for his confrontation with this swamp. Later, during his imprisonment and after his apostasy, Rodrigues continues to grapple with the image of Christ. In a key passage, he recalls that 'the face of Christ rose up in his heart' and that he 'had the habit of imagining the face of Christ in his moments of solitude.' This habit is rooted in his early experiences, including his time in Macao. The date thus serves as a chronological anchor for the beginning of his spiritual ordeal, which culminates in his trampling of the fumie and his subsequent life as an apostate in Japan, where he adopts the name Okada San'emon.

The Date as a Marker of Missionary History

May 1st also connects Rodrigues to the broader history of the Japanese mission. The translator's preface recounts the efforts of earlier missionaries like Xavier and Valignano, and the eventual persecution that led to the martyrdom of thousands. Rodrigues' arrival in Macao on this date places him in a lineage of missionaries who had come before, including those who had been tortured and killed. In his letter, Rodrigues reflects on the 'face of Christ' as it was depicted in art, noting that 'the early Christians thought of Christ as a shepherd' and that 'the medieval artists... painted a face of Christ resplendent with the authority of a king.' This meditation on Christ's image is a form of spiritual preparation for the trials ahead. The date May 1st thus marks not only a physical arrival but also a moment of intense spiritual focus, as Rodrigues prepares to risk everything for his faith in a country that, as the novel repeatedly emphasizes, is a 'swamp' that will ultimately defeat him.