In Nagasaki on Saturday, the twin cathedral bells tolled in unison for the first time in 80 years, marking the devastating moment in 1945 when the city was destroyed by an American atomic bomb. The ceremony took place at Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also known as Urakami Cathedral, with bells chiming at 11.02am, the moment of the bombing on August 9, 1945— days after Hiroshima suffered a similar fate.
The cathedral, rebuilt in 1959 after being nearly entirely destroyed, initially had only one bell recovered from the rubble, leaving the northern tower silent. With financial support from American church congregations, a second bell was constructed and re-installed in the tower.
Despite heavy rain Saturday morning, ceremonies proceeded with Mayor Shiro Suzuki calling on the world to cease all conflicts. Over 74,000 lives were lost in Nagasaki, and another 140,000 in Hiroshima. The bombings were close to ending World War II when Japan surrendered, but survivors, or ‘hibakusha,’ faced a long battle with physical and psychological trauma.
A 93-year-old survivor, Hiroshi Nishioka, who was just three kilometers from ground zero, recounted the horrors he witnessed. Nagasaki resident Atsuko Higuchi emphasized the importance of remembering these events as more than history, but as realities that shaped the world.
The cathedral’s chief priest, Kenichi Yamamura, stated that the restored bells symbolize humanity’s greatness and a call for peace, especially in the face of today’s global conflicts. Nearly 100 countries attended the commemorations, not including Russia.
The restoration of the cathedral bells was funded by a campaign led by American professor James Nolan, who was inspired by a Japanese Christian he met during his research, to teach Americans about the bomb’s effects. Through a series of talks, he raised $125,000 to fund the bell’s replacement, unveiled to an emotional response in Nagasaki.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/09/nagasaki-japan-atomic-bomb-twin-bells-urakami-cathedral
