Jesuits in China

VATICAN CITY, 1990, 3rd centenary of the Beijing-Nanking Diocese, Scott 862

In May 1601 a Chinese Imperial decree gave Matteo Ricci and his Jesuit confreres land and funds for a chapel and permanent residence in the South Gate district of Peking. Ricci built a chapel there in 1610, and in 1650 on this site Fr. Adam Schall von Bell, SJ erected the first Catholic Church in Beijing. He named it the Church of the Immaculate Conception, was built, commonly called Nan tang or the Southern Church. When Beijing became a diocese in 1690, this was the first cathedral. Two tablets granted by the emperor are along the east and west walls in front of the church. The church was destroyed by earthquake and fire in 1775 and during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 but was rebuilt each time. IT has been closed a number of times, but reopened in 1971 for foreigners and in 1979 for all people. It is now the bishop's residence and the cathedral of Beijing.

The Church of the Holy Redeemer, Beijing

VATICAN CITY, 1990, 3rd centenary of the Beijing-Nanking Diocese, Scott 864

In 1688 five French Jesuits arrived in Beijing, among them Jean de Fontaney (1643-1710) and Claude de Visdelou (1665-1737). In 1693 these two cured Qing Dynasty Kangxi Emperor from a malaria attack through the use of western medicines, specifically quinine or Jesuit bark. In his gratitude the Emperor gave them land for a church in the Imperial City in the area of Xi'anmen and funds with which to construct it. He also allowed them to establish an astronomical observatory and library. This church, the Church of the Holy Redeemer, commonly known as North Church (Beitang), took four years to build and was dedicated in 1703. When the Jesuits were suppressed in 1773, the church was taken over by the Vincentians (Lazarists) until it was seized by the government in 1827 and demolished. In 1860 the land was returned to the Jesuits and a new church built on the same site. In 1887, worried that foreigners could look into the Imperial Court, the Chinese government donated a larger piece of land in Xishiku and relocated the church there. During the Boxer rebellion, 3000 Catholics took refuge in this church for 62 days. The church reopened in 1985.

SPAIN, 1995-1996, meter stamps from the Bilbao Jesuit Mission Office postage meter with different slogans