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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.

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 1903 diplomatic and ecclesiastical correspondence, originating from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal and addressed to the Secretary of State, concerns the contested implementation of a Holy See decree dated 3 February 1903 regarding the reorganisation of ecclesiastical jurisdictions in southern China. The document details negotiations between the Portuguese and French governments, with papal assent, to transfer jurisdiction of Hainan Island from the Diocese of Macau to the Apostolic Prefecture of Canton, in exchange for granting the Bishop of Macau authority over the Shao-King district. A dispute arises due to a perceived geographical error in the decree, which asserts territorial contiguity between Shao-King and Heung-Shan, despite intervening sub-districts—San-Ning, San-Ui, and Shum-Tak—belonging to Kwang-Chow. The Bishop of Macau, João Paulino de Azevedo e Castro, argues that the Holy See’s intention included these sub-districts and the island of Shan-Chau (St John’s Island), a site of religious significance. He attributes resistance from the Apostolic Prefecture of Canton to strategic opposition by French missionaries rather than genuine clerical concern. The text underscores Portugal’s determination to assert its ecclesiastical rights under the Concordats of 1857 and 1886, secure missionary access, and prevent further delays detrimental to spiritual and colonial interests. The document is accompanied by a map and urgent recommendations for clarification from the Holy See to ensure unambiguous jurisdictional transfer.

This 1902 diplomatic correspondence, originating from the Portuguese Government of Macau and transmitted through the Embassy of Portugal to the Holy See, documents a sensitive territorial and political dispute involving French missionary land acquisitions near Macau. The primary subject is a series of purchases by the French Catholic mission of three parcels of land—Sai-kua-pu, Sai-mai-kong, and Bac-mai-Kong—at the foot of Mount Catae, approximately five kilometres from Macau, officially registered under the authority of the Xiangshan mandarin. The reports, authored by Acting Governor Alfredo Lello and addressed to the Secretary of State for Naval and Overseas Affairs in Lisbon, argue that these acquisitions, conducted under the provisions of the 1860 Franco-Chinese Treaty, served strategic political rather than religious or medical purposes, despite the stated pretext of establishing a sanatorium. The documents detail an incident in which Chinese agents attempted to serve a summons on Ip-lin-san, a naturalised Portuguese subject and Macau resident, over allegations of unlawful burial on contested land, prompting protests regarding violations of Portuguese territorial jurisdiction. Internal investigations concluded that the burial claims were unfounded and likely a pretext to clear access to French-held plots. The correspondence further highlights British concern in Hong Kong over perceived French expansionist ambitions in southern China, particularly given the strategic vantage of the acquired lands overlooking key maritime routes. The material provides critical insight into colonial rivalries, ecclesiastical politics under the Padroado system, and the use of missionary activity as an instrument of imperial influence in late Qing China.

This 1902 diplomatic correspondence, originating from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and addressed to an ecclesiastical authority, documents the formal transmission of a Royal Charter appointing Reverend João Paulino de Azevedo e Castro as Bishop of Macau. The document, dated 10 June 1902 and issued by Counsellor Miguel Martins d’Antas in Lisbon, includes a copy of the canonical process (*processus inaugurationis*) compiled at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lisbon, which accompanied the nomination to the Holy See. A parallel communication from the Vatican Secretariat, dated 21 June 1902 and referencing an earlier note from January of that year, confirms receipt of the nomination materials sent by His Excellency, including a letter from Pedelizzi sirna concerning Monsignor Giovanni Paolino de Sjavedo’s appointment to the Petrine See of Macao. The Vatican response, signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, acknowledges the delivery of the pontifical autograph to the Pope and the forwarding of documents to Miguel Martins d’Artes, expressing formal gratitude and reaffirming esteem for the recipient. The file, registered on 6 February 1902 after arrival in Caracas on 19 February, forms part of administrative records held in Lisbon under Division R.7, File 35 3/. This dual bureaucratic and ecclesiastical documentation reflects the procedural interplay between state and Church in Portuguese colonial ecclesiastical appointments during the early 20th century, offering insight into diplomatic protocols and the governance of Catholic sees in overseas territories.