Syncretism of Christian and Asian features in the design of St. Paul's Church in Macau

Chen' Ke Postgraduate student, Department of History of Western European Art, Institute of History, St. Petersburg State University 199034, Russia, Sankt Peterburg oblast', g. Sankt Peterburg, ul. Korablestroitelei, 35 korpus 4, kv. 66 st097198@student.spb.ru Other publications by this author

The Macau Special Administrative Region is an example of a unique urban ensemble that includes fine examples of Jesuit architecture in the Baroque and Classicism styles, traditional Chinese architecture and modern architecture of postmodernism, constructivism and deconstructivism. This article will consider the architecture of the XVII century Macau, namely the Church of St. Paul, a landmark building for the city. It is inextricably linked with the history and spiritual life of the city and is an exemplary example of Christian architecture in Asia. Despite the fact that a significant amount of literature is devoted to the Jesuit influence in Macau, there are no materials directly considering St. Paul's Church, and the purpose of this article is to identify the syncretism of Christian and Asian features in its design. Since the problem of syncretism of artistic styles is important, and this problem has not been raised on the material of architectural monuments of Macau, and even more so has not been covered in Russian-language literature, the subject of the article is relevant.

The history of St. Paul's Church is inextricably linked with the history of Catholicism in Macau. It was built shortly after the arrival of the Jesuits there, next to St. Paul's Seminary, the first Christian institution of higher education in Asia. The church was dedicated to the Mother of God and was originally called the Church of Our Lady, although now it is known by the name of the seminary – St. Paul's Church. The construction of the temple took place from 1602 to 1640. The construction of the church, in particular, the facade decor, is associated with the name of the Jesuit sculpture from Italy Carlo Spinole. There is also evidence that Giacomo della Porta had a hand in the construction of the church. For a long time, St. Paul's Church served as the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Macau. By the middle of the XVIII century, Macau gradually lost its trade and geopolitical importance. The main trade routes and ports were moved to Hong Kong, which became the new European outpost in Asia. In addition, in 1762, the Jesuits left Macau and transferred all their property, including the church, to the Portuguese colonial administration. From this moment begins the history of the decline of the cathedral, which in 1835 was almost completely, with the exception of the facade, destroyed by fire. In 1990, the restoration of the church from the ruins began, which ended in 1995.

To understand the place of St. Paul's Church in the history of world and Chinese architecture, it is important to consider the cultural and historical conditions in which it was built. Before the arrival of the Jesuits in Macau, the city was a small settlement. The Catholic mission also began the active development of the city as an important stronghold for European trade in South Asia. This was the first successful example of Catholic colonialism in China (however, it is worth noting that Macau officially became a Portuguese colony only in the XIX century). The Jesuits not only developed trade, science and education in Macau, but also actively engaged in construction. In a short period of time, many religious buildings appeared in the city. They were distinguished by special features inherent in the Catholic architecture of that time.

It is important to understand that the Jesuit Order was one of the organizers of the Counter-Reformation movement, the policy of the Catholic Church to combat Protestantism. After the revolutionary changes that took place during the Reformation, the Catholic Church sought to restore its prestige and expand its power. One of the ways to achieve this was missionary activity in regions remote from Europe, including China, Japan, the Philippines, etc. The Jesuits were active in missionary activities and had their missions almost all over the world. In the churches of the Jesuits of the XVI-XVII centuries, a special architectural style of the early Baroque can be found, some researchers designate it as the "Jesuit style". The Jesuit style, closely related to the course of the Counter-Reformation, was largely based on the "Instructions for the Construction and improvement of Churches" by Carlo Borromeo, published in 1577 in connection with the decrees of the Council of Trent (1545-1563). The main purpose of the Council was to clarify the main religious dogmas, to unify the norms of faith and interpretations of sacred texts in order to protect the Catholic tradition. Art was seen as an important tool in the fight against the Reformation. Borromeo's "Instructions" were designed to regulate church construction in the diocese in accordance with the decisions of the council and became an important work on the unification of the rules for the creation of churches ^[1]. Borromeo's instructions were archaic and consolidated the long-standing traditions of the Catholic Church. The rules specified in the instructions included, for example, the following: 

· The altar of the main chapel should be located at the head of the church opposite the central portal.

·         A Crucifix should be placed under the arch of the chapel.

·         The cathedral should be spacious and provide space for prayer.

· The tabernacle should be located in the center of the altar.

· The main altar should be on a raised platform.

Also, the most important feature of the early Baroque was a large number of paintings and sculptures, which was caused by the need to resist reformist iconoclasm. Thus, the Council of the Trident asserts that "it is necessary to have and keep, in particular in churches, images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and saints, giving them the appropriate veneration and worship" ^{[2, pp. 312-325]}. Jesuit scholar Robert Bellarmine also defended images and statues in churches and noted that images of Jesus and saints are not idols ^[3]. The famous Baroque architect Pietro de Cortona also used a large number of sculptural images in his buildings to exalt God.  

The location of the temple was also discussed. For example, the papal legate Jesuit Antonio Possevino recommended that it be located in the noblest part of the city and noted that the facades of churches should face the busiest street or square of the city so that religion could act as a defender of all citizens ^[4]. According to Borromeo, the church also "should be located on a high-located site far from unclean places" ^[5].

So, summarizing, it can be noted that the early Baroque temple architecture, with its rich decor and regulated structure, serves as an instrument for the establishment of the Catholic religion in its original form. In addition, bright Baroque images facilitate missionary activity, being a clear proof of the omnipotence of God.   

Among the classical examples of the early Jesuit Baroque are the Roman Jesuit churches of Il Gesu della Porta by Giacomo da Vignola and Sant'inazio Orazio Gassia. These structures are built in accordance with the rules of the Tridentine Cathedral and are a typical example of the Jesuit style. They are characterized by two-story facades, triangular pediments with volutes on the sides, theatrical interiors, an abundance of sculpture installed in niches, picturesque decor. An important feature of the Jesuit Baroque is the loosening of the entablature on the facade and its symmetry. The plans of both named churches are similar, these monuments have one wide nave with a cylindrical vault and a transept that does not stand out from the total volume – all this also corresponds to the instructions of the Trident Cathedral.

St. Paul's Church in Macau was built in a unique style that combines the traditions of the Jesuit Baroque and Oriental motifs.  It is a very rare architectural structure with elements of European, Chinese, Japanese and other Asian influences. It is worth noting that in all of China there are Baroque churches only in Macau, which makes St. Paul's Church a particularly important object of study ^[6].

First of all, its location can be noted, corresponding to the indication of the Tridentine Cathedral: it was erected on St. Paul's Hill and is visible from anywhere in the city, its facade overlooks a busy square. Sixty-eight stone steps lead to the church, symbolizing the staircase to the heavenly temple.

Fig.1 Plan of St. Paul's Church

Although the church itself has not been preserved, the results of archaeological research are available to us, giving an idea of its architectural plan. The layout of the church is similar to the Jesuit Church Il Gesu in Rome. The temple had a long hall with a four-story facade and pediment, two-story side naves and a gabled roof. The basilic structure in the south was combined with an equilateral cross in the north. At the far end of the church, two shallow wings one and a half stories high and two windows wide formed small transepts, and the apse behind them was slightly higher than them, although not as high as the main nave. To the south of the West Transept is the so-called Prayer Room of St. Francis, which was added by the Jesuits in 1692 for the burial of the body of Andre Coelho Pereira, governor of Macau and Timor ^[7].

Fig.2 Facade of St. Paul's Church

Of the entire church, only the ruins of the southern stone facade and the crypts of the Jesuits who founded the church have survived to this day. The granite facade of the temple was created by Japanese and Chinese Christians according to the project of the Italian sculptor Carlo Spinola (he died a martyr's death in 1622) in the period between 1620 and 1627. Its width is 23 meters and its height is 25.5 meters. This facade is built on the basis of the so-called "classical concept of the divine ascension" (which is discussed below), therefore it is divided into 5 horizontal levels-tiers, topped at the top with a triangular pediment. The triangular pediment, as well as the volutes on the sides, represents a typical Jesuit style. The facade, made in two planes, is distinguished by the traditional Jesuit Baroque emancipation.

On the other hand, the facade of the temple is a kind of retablo characteristic of missionary Catholic churches - for example, such facades are widespread in Latin America. It is a complex interweaving of Catholic and Oriental motifs. Each level of the facade represents a believer's spiritual path to paradise, and also briefly tells the history of the Catholic Church. The evangelical mission in the East is presented here as part of the mechanism of a mystical all-encompassing process emanating from God the Creator (the top of the pediment) through Jesus, his earthly messenger (the fourth tier), and Mary as the divine intercessor (the third tier).  Let's consider each tier in detail.

In the lower tier of the church there were three main entrances framed by ten columns in the Ionic order. The pillars of the bases of the columns and capitals were painstakingly carved from three separate granite blocks, and almost all the fustas were cut from one piece. Although the unorthodox use of classical columns and other architectural elements is characteristic of Italian Mannerism, this style is also observed in the architecture of Portugal at that time. Above the central entrance, one can distinguish the relief inscription "Mater Dei" (Divine Mother) in a carved frame, and the narrow side panels have a vertical pattern of rectangles. This is due to the fact that the Mother of God was the patroness of St. Paul's College (seminary) and in fact at that time the church was called the Church of Our Lady. Above the side entrances of the first floor, the emblem of the Jesuit Society - "IHS" is carved on the lintels of the side doors, and a diamond-shaped vertical pattern is carved on the side panels.

The second tier is decorated with ten columns of the Corinthian order. The biblical symbolism is used - an ornament of roses symbolizing the Mother of God, and palm trees indicating that the Jesuit saints are in paradise. In the niches typical of the Baroque, there are figures of Francisco Borgia, Ignatius Loyola, Francis Xavier and Aloysius Gonzaga – the founders of the Jesuit Order. Interestingly, by the time the temple was built, only two of them had been canonized.

The central tier is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. In the center of the composition is a sculpture of the Virgin Mary framed by flowers – peonies (symbols of China) and chrysanthemums (symbols of Japan). There are six pairs of statues on the sides. The Virgin Mary is the central figure of the facade, symbolizing salvation. According to the inscriptions in Chinese, it becomes obvious that the grace of the Mother of God is directed at the Chinese population of Macau. The bas-reliefs surrounding the sculpture of the Virgin Mary depict six angels with musical instruments. Angels are located on clouds, presented in accordance with Asian pictorial traditions. To the left and right of the central composition are depicted two mystical Christian symbols – the fountain of life and the tree of wisdom - cedar.

Further to the left, a little further from the central composition, we see another figure of the Virgin Mary trampling a seven-headed dragon with the corresponding signature in Chinese. This is a very interesting symbolism, because the dragon is a symbol of imperial power in China. On the other hand, of course, it should be noted that the image of the dragon is made in the European, not Chinese tradition. In addition, sculptural images of the Buddha and various deities (for example, Guanyin) standing on the head or back of the dragon king from Chinese mythology were popular in China at that time ^[8].  An identical figure of Mary is depicted to the right of the bas-reliefs of angels above the masts of a Portuguese caravel, personifying missionary work. The image of the Mother of God is central to the decor of the temple also because it is the most accessible and understandable symbol for this geographical region. In the South China region, the cult of the patron goddess of seafarers and fishermen Tien-hou Matsu ("mother ancestor") was developed. A parallel with this local deity can be traced on the left bas-relief, where the Virgin Mary acts as the defender of navigators. The differences between Mazu, Guan Yin (the Buddhist goddess of mercy, ) and the Virgin Mary are blurred both iconographically and functionally. Mazu and Guanyin appear everywhere in the Chinese temples of Macau, and the cult of Mary is widespread in the Christian churches of Macau ^[9].

Fig.3 Elements of the third tier of the facade with Chinese characters. The right side of the facade.

Fig. 4 Elements of the third tier of the facade with Chinese characters. The left side of the facade.

In the left extreme part of the third tier, we see a bas-relief with a figure stylized in the Eastern tradition of a demon with wings and horns, accompanied by a warning inscription: "The devil leads people into temptation/tempts them to do wrong". On the opposite side there is a bas-relief depicting a skeleton and an inscription in Chinese "Remember death" (). This is not only a winged Latin expression, but also an important Buddhist practice of thinking about mortality, the futility of all things ^[10]. It is important to note that of the Baroque buildings of that era, only the Church of St. Paul in Macau was inscribed with Chinese characters ^[11]. On the edges of these large bas-reliefs are small images of a dove and a crown. These symbols are somewhat universal and have important significance for both Christian and Chinese culture. 

In addition, on the sides on the left and right we see sculptures of lions made in the traditional Chinese style, which, apparently, act as analogues of gargoyles on Gothic cathedrals ^[12]. Lions are not only a popular image in Asia, including China. It is one of the religious symbols closely associated with Buddhism. A number of researchers believe that the Jesuits' choice of lions to decorate the Church was not accidental, but was an attempt to use symbols understandable to the Chinese to spread the Christian faith ^[13]. This is a vivid example of the Chinese interpretation of the Christian religion.

The pediment – the fourth and fifth tiers - symbolizes The Holy Trinity living in Paradise. The pediment is decorated with a sculpture of the infant Jesus surrounded by instruments of torture – instruments of crucifixion, four eclectic pilasters, bas-reliefs with images of the apostles Peter and Paul on the sides along with symbols of earthly temptations. The topmost tier, ending with a cross, is decorated with a flower and a dove — symbols of the Holy Spirit. Here, the sun, moon and stars are the oldest symbols in the history of religions of all peoples.

This church is a unique phenomenon not only for Chinese, but also for world architecture. This remarkable example of hybridization and syncretism of the European Christian and Chinese traditions combined the layout of the Western church, the stone facade in the Baroque style, decorated with reliefs carved by the Chinese and Japanese, and the nave, built of wood and rammed earth, which, unfortunately, burned down in 1835. It is distinguished by two seemingly opposite, but at the same time perfectly combined with each other tendencies: following the strict canons of the Jesuit Baroque and the active use of local ethnic motifs. It combines Christian Catholic and Eastern – Chinese and Japanese – symbols. Sometimes – as in the case of the image of the Virgin Mary – one image cannot be separated from another. Dragons and saints, Chinese lions and doves, roses and chrysanthemums harmoniously combine with each other, allowing you to talk about the Christian religion with the residents of Macau in their language without distorting the Catholic faith. This effect was largely possible due to the fact that missionary methods in Macau were characterized by a desire for assimilation, and missionaries actively studied Chinese language and culture ^[14]. It should be noted that these innovations and unprecedented things that we see on this masterpiece of art are obviously the result of a new method of Jesuit missionary work in China, that is, a reflection of the policy of gradual adaptation. This missionary method differs from the "clean slate" (tabula rasa) missionary approach used at that time in Africa and America. It was conceived by F. Xaver, planned by Valiant and successfully applied by Matteo Ricci and Luo Mingjian in China. In addition to new methods of preaching, the missionaries also studied and used the cultural characteristics of the region to spread Christianity. This approach can be seen in the decoration of the facade of St. Paul's Church in Macau.

The facade-retablo is considered a doctrinal synthesis in stone: through images and inscriptions in Chinese and Latin, knowledge about Catholic doctrine and the basics of Christian teaching is transmitted to local Chinese residents. Thus, the unique facade is not only an architectural monument, but also a kind of stone chronicle reflecting the unique cultural heritage of Macau.