October 24th is an important anniversary for the Castle of Santa Severa; it’s the 405th anniversary of the welcome in the fortress of the first Ambassador of Japan to Europe Hasakura Tsunenaga (October 24th, 1615). To celebrate this historic anniversary, the chronicles of which are preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Archive, His Excellency Bishop Santa Rufina, Monsignor Gino Reali, welcomed the Ambassador of Japan to the Holy See, Seiji Okada, accompanied by his wife. Special guests of the event: the Mayor of Santa Marinella Pietro Tidei, the Councilor of the Municipality delegated to the castle Paola Fratarcangeli, the Regional Councilor Marietta Tidei and the head of the LAZIOcrea culture sector Liliana Mannocchi, who accompanied the Ambassador – together with Flavio Enei – to a visit of the whole complex by illustrating the historical evidence.

The visit also included the hostel, much appreciated for its sea views and the Saracen Tower. Giuseppe Riccio, curator of the project “La luce ed il sole-L’Accoglienza della Fortezza  (authorized by the Holy See) and Maria Rosaria Gargiulo, responsible for the research on relations between the Holy See and Japan, oversaw the studies and found the parchment that certifies the Reception of the First Japanese Ambassador in the Fortress of Santa Severa; a copy is displayed and kept in the church inside the village.