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This collection of ecclesiastical and administrative documents, dating from 1626 to 1772, comprises correspondence, reports, and decrees originating primarily from Portuguese colonial territories in Asia, including Macau, Goa, Malacca, Cochin, and Siam, with additional references to Japan, China, Mozambique, and the broader Indies. The materials, written in Latin, Portuguese, and hybrid ecclesiastical registers, were produced by Jesuit missionaries, Apostolic Vicars, and officials associated with the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Key figures include P. Melchioris, D. Domínico Thecis, P. Francisco Xavier Filippo, Father João de Fide, and Cardinal Alberico, among others. Central themes include the establishment and jurisdiction of Apostolic Vicariates, tensions between secular authorities and ecclesiastical governance, internal disciplinary matters, doctrinal disputes, and logistical challenges in trans-imperial communication. The texts reveal ongoing conflicts over oaths, appointments, property rights, and the suppression of local customs deemed incompatible with Catholic orthodoxy, particularly in mission territories. Detailed accounts address the administration of sacraments, succession protocols, allegations of misconduct, and efforts to maintain canonical obedience amid political instability. These documents provide critical insight into the operation of Catholic missionary networks under the Padroado system, the interplay between Rome and colonial religious authorities, and the socio-political dynamics affecting evangelisation efforts across early modern Asia and Africa.
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Padre Marcelo Mastrilli, a Jesuit, is remembered for his martyrdom in Nagasaki, Japan, and a miracle attributed to him by St. Francis Xavier. In 1636, en route to India, he foresaw his martyrdom in a letter to S. Antonio Tegliez de Silva. In 1634, while dying in Naples, St. Francis Xavier healed him and tasked him with preaching in the Indies, promising him martyrdom. Mastrilli journeyed through Madrid, Lisbon, Goa, Malacca, and Manila before reaching Japan, experiencing miracles along the way. Leaving Goa in April 1636, with twelve companions, Mastrilli's group split up, heading for Malacca. He, along with Padres Baldassarro Citadella, Antonio Capece, and Francesco Carola, sailed on Domenico di Camera's Galeotta, intending to reach Japan, China, and other areas. However, Dutch vessels forced them to Manila. En route, when the Galeotta sprung a leak, Mastrilli reassured everyone with an image of St. Francis Xavier, promising salvation. In Manila, Mastrilli faced difficulties entering Japan due to restrictions on religious figures. It was decided he would go alone, while his companions went to Macao. Before departing, he accompanied the Governor of Manila to conquer Mindanao. During a battle, he flagellated himself, provoking a demonic reaction and receiving a revelation that the victory would be his and that the Governor would facilitate his journey to Japan. Mastrilli, with ten Japanese men disguised as locals, sailed from Manila on July 13, 1637, reaching the Kingdom of Saxuma on September 19. Seeking the Emperor, he landed at Xiguiso but was discovered and arrested with his companions, then taken to Nagasaki. There, he declared his mission to convert the Emperor. Mastrilli endured tortures, maintaining his faith. Sentenced to death, he was thrown into a pit of filth on October 17, 1637. After four days, he was beheaded; an earthquake occurred at his death.
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Primary Sources
Resource type
- Manuscript (2)
Publication year
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Between 1600 and 1699
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Between 1630 and 1639
(1)
- 1637 (1)
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Between 1670 and 1679
(1)
- 1678 (1)
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Between 1630 and 1639
(1)