Crypto-Christianity

Under Cryptographic Christianity is called the hidden exercise of the Christian faith, with a simultaneous public commitment to another religion. Crypto Christians are therefore people who follow Christian customs and traditions, even though they belong formally to another faith community.

Distribution and history

Japan

Since the introduction of Christianity in Japan 1550 by Saint Francis Xavier Christianity was seen as a threat to the power of the Shogun. 1643 Christianity was banned, destroyed all the churches and systematically wiped out the Christian influence. The ban was only lifted in 1858. During that time, formed in Japan, the crypto- Christian group Kakure Kirishitan.