Pauluskirche (Macau)

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Facade of the Pauluskirche
Entrance to the museum

The Ruins of St. Paul's are Macau's landmark and, in 2005 as part of the historic center of Macau in the UNESCO - World Heritage included.

Origins

The Jesuits came to Macau in 1565 and immediately began to spread Christianity from here. They founded the first western university in the Far East in 1594 to train thousands of missionaries for missions to China and Japan with courses such as theology, Chinese, Portuguese , Latin, mathematics and astronomy. The missionaries Adam Schall von Bell and Matteo Ricci learned the Chinese language here before they went to the imperial court in Beijing . From 1602 to 1640, the Pauluskirche was built by Chinese and Japanese craftsmen on the university property.

fire

After the Jesuits withdrew in 1762, the property was abandoned and given to the Leal Senado (Loyal Senate). A military battalion moved in a few decades later. A fire broke out in the barrack kitchen in 1835 and covered the entire complex. Except for the front wall with the facade, everything burned down.

The ruins were finally restored from 1990 to 1995. In the rear area there is now a crypt with relics of Japanese and Chinese martyrs and a museum with pictures and sculptures from other churches and monasteries.

facade

The facade at night

The facade was completed between 1620 and 1627 by the Italian plasterer Carlo Spinola . It is divided into five levels. The facade is decorated with elements and figures of Western Catholicism and partly with oriental ornaments. In the bottom row, the motto of the Society of Jesus ( IHS ) is written on the outside and the name of the patroness of the university ( Mater Dei ) in the middle . A row above the four Jesuit saints ( Francisco de Borja , Ignatius of Loyola , Francisco de Xavier and Aloisius of Gonzaga ) are depicted. In the symbolic higher ranks the Virgin Mary and the Trinity (God the Father, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit) are represented.

literature

  • CR Boxer: Japanese Christians buried in the Jesuit College Church of Sao Paulo at Macau. In: Monumenta Nipponica . Vol. 1, No. 1, 1938, pp. 265-269.

Web links

Commons : St. Paul's Church (Macau)  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files

Coordinates: 22 ° 11 ′ 51.4 "  N , 113 ° 32 ′ 26.4"  E