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Correspondencia do Governador do Bispado em Macau com Consul em Cantão

This is a collection of official diplomatic and ecclesiastical correspondence dated between 26 March and 11 April 1908, originating from the Portuguese Consulate General in Canton, the Episcopal Administration of Macau, and mission authorities on Hainan Island. The documents concern a series of violent anti-Christian disturbances in Tang-von (T'an-wen), Hainan, beginning on 18 March 1908, during the final year of the Guangxu era. Led by local scholars Zhang Ruijing and Zhang Ruijiu with the complicity of the District Magistrate, villagers from eight surrounding settlements attacked the Portuguese Catholic Mission, looted Christian homes, destroyed sacred objects, and imprisoned seven Christians—some severely injured—under brutal conditions. Father Francisco de Paula Situ, the missionary, was besieged for three days without food or water. The unrest stemmed from a dispute over market measurement standards previously regulated by the Mission. The Superior of the Hainan Mission, Father Manuel Maria Marques, reported extensive damage to the chapel, residences, and religious property, and demanded compensation of at least $300,000 réis. Due to the absence of a Portuguese consular agent on Hainan, information was relayed via Macau’s Bishopric under José da Costa Nunes, prompting Consul João Damaso da Costa de Moraes to request intervention from the Portuguese Minister in Peking and coordinate with French consular authorities, who held protective jurisdiction over Catholic missions in China. The Viceroy of the Two Kuang Provinces issued telegraphic orders to suppress the disturbance, and by late March, order was restored through military intervention. A joint inspection on 29 March confirmed widespread destruction. The documents reflect colonial-era diplomatic protocols, ecclesiastical authority structures, and Sino-foreign tensions in late Qing China, offering critical insights into missionary protection, cross-border governance, and local resistance dynamics.

This 1907–1909 diplomatic and ecclesiastical correspondence, originating from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Colonies, documents the protracted negotiation and eventual transfer of religious jurisdiction over Hainan Island from Portuguese to French Catholic missions. Rooted in the 1857 and 1886 Concordats between the Holy See and Portugal, the dispute centres on the retrocession of Hainan—formally under the Bishop of Macao’s jurisdiction—to the French Apostolic Vicariate of Guangdong, led by Bishop Jean M. Mercier (Mérel). Despite a 1903 decree by the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and a clarifying pontifical decree of 16 March 1904 confirming the exchange of Hainan for the Chaoqingfu (Zhaoqing) district—excluding three contested sub-prefectures—the implementation was delayed due to disputes over property valuation and compensation. The Bishop of Macao, d’Azevedo, acknowledged a 41,073 piastre deficit in favour of the French mission, but refused indemnity payments, prompting resistance from Mercier. The file reveals inter-imperial tensions between France and Portugal, with both states leveraging ecclesiastical authority to advance colonial influence in southern China. By October 1908, French missionaries formally assumed control of Hainan, though concerns persisted regarding inadequate financial support, competition from American and German Protestant missions, and the strategic implications for French political influence. The documents provide critical insight into the intersection of religious diplomacy, colonial ambition, and Sino-Vatican relations in late Qing China.

This 1907 ecclesiastical and diplomatic correspondence, originating from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Diocese of Macau, and colonial administrative offices, documents the protracted negotiations between the Bishop of Macau and the Apostolic Prefect of Canton concerning the exchange of ecclesiastical jurisdictions over Hainan Island and the Shaoqing (or Shew-ing) district. The dispute arose from the implementation of a 1903 decree by the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, later clarified by a pontifical rescript of 16 March 1904, which mandated the transfer of Hainan to the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Prefecture of Canton in exchange for the Shaoqing district being assigned to the Diocese of Macau. Despite formal agreement on the territorial exchange, resistance emerged over claims of compensation based on discrepancies in mission property valuations and opposition from French missionaries operating under the Paris Foreign Missions Society. The Bishop of Macau contested demands for financial indemnity, asserting that the papal decrees did not permit such conditions and that prior precedent—specifically the 1874 annexation of Hainan to Macau—had involved no compensation. The file includes official dispatches, telegrams, inventories, and memoranda detailing failed handover attempts, political interventions by the Portuguese and French governments, and the Bishop of Macau’s personal appeal to the Holy See in Rome during 1907. Ultimately, the Holy See reaffirmed the original terms, rejecting additional claims and insisting on the unqualified execution of the jurisdictional exchange. This document provides critical insight into ecclesiastical diplomacy, colonial-era church-state relations, and the interplay between local missionary interests and transnational religious authority in early 20th-century China.

This 1894 official correspondence, originating from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (General Directorate of Political and Diplomatic Affairs, 1st Division, Lisbon), concerns ecclesiastical jurisdictional disputes in southern China during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The document comprises copies of communications between the Bishop of Macau, the Secretary of State for Overseas Affairs, and the Portuguese Minister in Paris, relating to the implementation of a territorial exchange agreement between the Diocese of Macau and the Apostolic Prefecture of Canton. Central to the matter is the reciprocal transfer of jurisdictions over Hainan Island and the Shao-king (Shap Kung/Sheung-king) district, initially agreed upon following negotiations culminating in a papal decree of 16 March 1864 and reaffirmed by the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith on 3 February 1903. The Bishop of Macau reports persistent obstruction by the Apostolic Prefect of Canton in executing the transfer, despite prior agreements and Vatican approval. Key issues include resistance from French missionaries under the Paris Foreign Missions Society, delays in handing over mission properties, and alleged diplomatic interference. The text reveals tensions between Portuguese Padroado claims and French ecclesiastical influence in China, as well as Portugal’s efforts to assert its ecclesiastical authority through diplomatic channels with both the Holy See and the French government. This document provides critical insight into colonial religious politics, Sino-European ecclesiastical diplomacy, and the decline of Portuguese ecclesiastical privileges in Asia.

This official correspondence, dated 18 September 1906, originates from the Secretariat of State of His Holiness and is addressed to the Chargé d’Affaires of Portugal accredited to the Holy See. The document records a formal communication by Cardinal P. Merry del Val, Secretary of State, concerning the ecclesiastical recognition of the feast day of Saint Francis Xavier within the Diocese of Macao. It details that the Portuguese Ambassador had requested, during the previous August, the formal establishment of 3 December as a feast day in Macao, following the precedent granted the prior year for the Churches of the East Indies. The letter confirms that the Holy Father has approved this request and encloses the decree issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites for transmission to the Bishop who initiated the petition. The primary subject matter concerns the extension of liturgical privileges to the Diocese of Macao under Portuguese ecclesiastical patronage, reflecting the diplomatic and religious relations between Portugal and the Holy See in the early 20th century. The document also includes a marginal notation—“Ammesso reggimento”—of unclear significance. As a piece of Vatican diplomatic correspondence, it provides insight into the administrative processes of the Roman Curia, the role of Catholic ceremonial in colonial contexts, and the continued influence of Portugal in ecclesiastical affairs in its overseas territories, particularly Macao. This manuscript is a valuable source for researchers examining church-state relations, colonial religious policy, and the global reach of Catholic liturgical authority in the late imperial period.

Elaborado por uma comissão nomeada para esse fim pela assemblêa dos irmãos de 30 de janeiro de 1906, nos termos do artigo 6�, paragrapho unico do decreto de 3 de novembro de 1905, approvado pela assemblêa geral dos irmãos de 4 d'agosto de 1906, e legalisado pela portaria provincial n� 127 de 23 de agosto de 1906

This 1905 official correspondence, dated 20 April and originating from the Vatican Chambers (No. 11206), constitutes a formal ecclesiastical response to a petition submitted by the Municipal Council of Bardez concerning the liturgical status of the feast of Saint Francis Xavier. The document, authored by the Cardinal Secretary of State, confirms receipt of a prior communication from a high-ranking civil or ecclesiastical official (referred to as "Your Excellency") dated 7 April 1905. It records that the matter—namely, the elevation of Saint Francis Xavier’s feast day to the status of *festa de pequeno* (lesser festival) across the Eastern Indies—was promptly presented to Pope Pius X. The Pope, expressing satisfaction with the initiative, granted approval in view of the support shown by both the Most Reverend Archbishop of Goa and the Government of His Most Faithful Majesty (the Portuguese Crown). The Holy See accordingly authorised the issuance of an Apostolic Brief to formalise the concession. The text reflects the interplay between colonial ecclesiastical administration, local municipal authority in Portuguese India, and the centralised doctrinal and ceremonial power of the Vatican at the turn of the twentieth century. This document is a primary source for the study of religious culture, colonial governance, and Catholic liturgical policy in the Portuguese Empire during the late imperial period.

This 1905 confidential diplomatic dispatch, originating from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon and addressed to the Secretary of State for Indian and Overseas Affairs, transmits a formal request—endorsed by the Government of Portuguese India—for the elevation of 3 December, the feast day of Saint Francis Xavier, to a Holy Day of Obligation across Portuguese India (Goa, Daman, and Diu). The document comprises official correspondence from the Most Reverend Archbishop-Primate of the East and an extract from the Municipal Council of Bardez’s session of 23 December 1904, both advocating the religious and cultural significance of the saint, revered as the Apostle of the Indies. The council underscores his foundational role in the region’s spiritual and historical identity, arguing that the feast, already marked by state-funded celebrations in Goa, should be universally observed to strengthen Catholic unity and affirm Portugal’s colonial and religious legacy. Despite anticipated economic objections related to work suspension, moral and symbolic imperatives are prioritised. The request reflects broader efforts to reinforce the *Padroado Real* and Catholic continuity amid perceived imperial decline. Endorsed by the Governor-General and the Patriarch of the West Indies, the petition exemplifies church-state collaboration in late colonial governance. This primary source offers critical insight into religious policy, colonial identity, and ecclesiastical authority in early 20th-century Portuguese India.

This 1904 diplomatic correspondence, originating from the Portuguese Consulate General in Shanghai (Document No. 208, Ref. 7 B. 308, dated 16 May 1904), addresses procedural concerns regarding the registration of Chinese-born children as Portuguese subjects under colonial nationality regulations. Written by the Consul General and addressed to a high-ranking official in Lisbon, the document highlights ambiguities in the application of Macau’s nationality justification instruments to individuals of Chinese origin residing in Shanghai. It raises formal doubts about the validity of relying solely on testimonial evidence—particularly when provided by members of the same ethnic community—for establishing nationality, given the absence of official civil birth registries among non-Catholic Chinese populations. The author requests explicit instructions on the appropriate legal procedure for registering the offspring of Portuguese subjects born in Shanghai, stressing inconsistencies in current practices. Additionally, the document notes irregularities in the recording of marriages and baptisms within local churches, warning that strict adherence to legal requirements by the Consulate could lead to significant administrative and legal consequences. This primary source offers critical insight into the complexities of extraterritorial jurisdiction, colonial subjecthood, and bureaucratic governance within the Portuguese consular system in early 20th-century China, reflecting broader challenges in defining nationality across cultural and legal boundaries.

This 1904 official correspondence, originating from the Portuguese Consulate General in Canton, documents a formal request concerning nationality affirmation by two Macau-born Portuguese subjects, Felisberto Reis Graça da Cruz and Thomás José da Silva Louceiro. Dated 23 May 1904, the letter—assigned reference No. 1489, Case File No. 174, Series B—is addressed to Conselheiro Menezes de Souza Pereira de Lima, then Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in Lisbon. The document transmits sworn applications from the named individuals, who, having been recruited into the Chinese customs service, sought to formally affirm their Portuguese nationality through an oath. As native subjects of Macau—a Portuguese-administered territory at the time—their need to substantiate national status underscores the complex jurisdictional and administrative dynamics affecting colonial subjects in southern China during the late Qing period. The communication highlights procedural protocols within the Portuguese consular system regarding the recognition and validation of citizenship claims abroad. Situated within broader imperial and diplomatic frameworks, this file offers primary evidence of individual engagement with colonial bureaucracy, as well as the intersection of employment in Chinese state institutions and foreign subjecthood. The document serves as a valuable source for historians examining nationality, identity, and cross-border administration in early 20th-century South China and Portuguese colonial affairs.

This official diplomatic correspondence, dated 5 May 1904, originates from the General Consulate of Portugal in Shanghai and is addressed to a high-ranking Portuguese authority. Classified as a formal notification, the document records the arrival of the Portuguese cruiser "Vasco da Gama" in Shanghai at approximately 16:00 on the same date. The vessel had sailed from Hong Kong under the command of Captain of Sea and War Manuel Lourenço Vasco de Carvalho, a senior naval officer in the Portuguese Navy. Sent under reference number 228 I A, the communication underscores the operational movements of Portuguese naval assets in East Asia during the early 20th century. The content reflects the administrative and strategic functions of Portugal’s consular presence in Shanghai, serving both diplomatic and maritime oversight roles within the context of European colonial and commercial interests in China. The mention of the ship’s name, a prominent figure in Portuguese maritime history, reinforces the symbolic and practical dimensions of naval deployment in maintaining national presence abroad. This document provides valuable insight into Portugal’s extraterritorial operations, naval logistics, and diplomatic protocols in treaty port China during the late Qing dynasty. It is a primary source relevant to studies of colonialism, maritime history, and international relations in East Asia during the imperial era.