A study on building projects of the Catholic Diocese of Fukuoka: Construction of Madarajima church and Yobuko church

Abstract

The Catholic Diocese of Fukuoka holds documents from the late 1920s when the Diocese was newly established. The documents show how construction of church buildings were carried out in the early days of the Diocese. Madarajima church and Yobuko church were rebuilt in 1929. Both were built using the method of relocation and reuse of wooden church buildings, which became disused due to rebuilding. Study of the documents revealed that old church structures were purposely reused because it could provide a church of Gothic Revival style with rib-vaulted ceiling and also reduce the construction cost. Gothic Revival style with rib-vaulted ceiling was the standard of church design in Japan since the late 19th century until the 1920s. Because of this tradition, parish priest as well as parishioners of both of Madarajima and Yobuko churches desired Gothic style with the rib-vaulted ceiling for the new church buildings. The Diocesan documents showed that the parish priest as well as parishioners of Madarajima Church contributed cash to building funds on top of the deposit of the parish in order to materialize the new church of Gothic Revival style and the Diocese covered the deficit.