Macau City Tour: Between two worlds

Spread the Word

The ruins of St. Paul, considered Macau’s most famous landmark, are the remains of a 17th century Catholic church. A spate of fires in 1595 and 1601 burnt down the then-existing church, though reconstruction began in 1602. Dedicated to Mater Dei (Mother of God), the church was inaugurated on Christmans Eve 1603. At the time, it was one of the largest Catholic churches in Asia, and to this day is a testament of the Jesuit presence in Asia. The Jesuits, also known as the Society of Jesus, are a religious order focusing on evangelizing that has been spreading Catholicism throughout the world since the 16th century. Macau was their entry port into China, and the base of operations for the Western world’s first sinologist, the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci who arrived in 1582 and began to study the Chinese language. Ricci founded the Jesuit Mission in China, and became the first European to enter the Forbidden City in Beijing. The university on these grounds taught theology, geography, and the languages Jesuits would need to continue on their missions.