The Society marks 450 years in Macau in 2012. On August 24, 1562, Frs Luís Fróis SJ and Giovanni Battista Del Monte SJ arrived in Macau to take up residence and embark on apostolic work. The two Portuguese Jesuits helped the two diocesan priests who were ministering to the 5,000 inhabitants of Macau, among whom were 600 Portuguese.
They had arrived with Diogo Pereira, a successful merchant, who had been appointed Portuguese envoy to the court of Beijing. They were provided lodgings first in the residence of Guilherme Pereira, brother of Diogo and benefactor of Francis Xavier. Later, they were also welcomed by Pedro Quintero, and it was he who would offer funds for the construction of the first Jesuit house in Macau.
The Jesuits awaited instructions regarding the embassy to Beijing until late in 1565, when they received word from the Jesuit Provincial, António de Quadros, to erect a permanent residence of the Society in Macau. They began to build at the end of December 1565.
The first bishop of Macau (1568-1581) was the Portuguese Jesuit Melchior M Carneiro, who founded a leprosarium and the “Santa Casa da Misericordia”.
For the account of the first two centuries of Jesuit history in Macau published in the Chinese Province News February 2012 edition, click here.