The True Story Behind “Silence”: The Mystery of the Last Five Jesuits in Japan (1905 Arcticle)

In this 1905, 30-page article reprinted from "The Month", Vol. 105, Herbert Thurston provides a historical background of Giuseppe Chiara (1602 - 1685) a Jesuit missionary active in 17th century Japan. He was the historical basis for the lead character of Sebastião Rodrigues in the novel Silence by Shūsaku Endō.

"Silence" is a 1966 novel of historical fiction by Japanese author Shūsaku Endō. It is the story of a Jesuit missionary sent to 17th century Japan, who endures persecution in the time of Kakure Kirishitan ("Hidden Christians") that followed the defeat of the Shimabara Rebellion. The recipient of the 1966 Tanizaki Prize, it has been called "Endo’s supreme achievement" and "one of the twentieth century’s finest novels".

In 2007, American film director Martin Scorsese announced his intention to direct an adaptation of the book which he had hoped to film in summer 2008. In 2013, Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson, Issei Ogata and Ken Watanabe were attached, which entered production in January 2015. In 2014, Adam Driver was attached to the film adaptation. In January 2015, Watanabe was forced to leave the project due to scheduling issues and was replaced by Tadanobu Asano. The film is set to release on December 23, 2016.