Ruins of St. Paul's
Today I'd like to introduce you to a famous Macau attraction—the Ruins of St. Paul's. This is a church ruin with a history of over 400 years, and it is also one of Macau's icons, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you want to learn the story of the Ruins of St. Paul's, come along with me!
The Ruins of St. Paul's was originally St. Paul's Church, an附属 part of St. Paul's College founded by Catholic Jesuits. St. Paul's College was established in 1594, making it the first Western-style university in the Far East and China. It trained a large number of missionaries who went to Japan, mainland China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and other places, serving as an important training base for Catholic missionaries in the Far East. St. Paul's Church was once the most magnificent church of the Jesuits in Macau and the Far East. It was basically completed in 1603, and the construction of the church façade (now the Ruins of St. Paul's) began in 1608, finishing between 1637 and 1640. The carvings and statues on the façade were finally completed in 1644.
In 1835, a final great fire destroyed St. Paul's College and the church, leaving only the front façade, part of the foundations, and the stone steps in front of the church. Because local Chinese thought the church façade resembled a traditional Chinese memorial archway (paifang), they called it "大三巴牌坊" (Ruins of St. Paul's). The carvings and inlays of the Ruins of St. Paul's are quite intricate, blending the essence of Eastern and Western architectural art. It is a masterpiece of cultural fusion, representing the achievements of Catholic art in the Far East and reflecting Macau's historical East-West cultural fusion and uniqueness.
In front of the Ruins of St. Paul's are 68 stone steps. The front façade ruin is 23 meters wide and 25.5 meters high, in Baroque style, built of granite, and divided into five levels from top to bottom. At the ground level, the main entrance lintel is inscribed with Latin "MATER DEI," meaning "Mother of God," with the Jesuit emblem on either side.
The second level features bronze statues of four Jesuit saints: in order, St. Francis Xavier, St. Francis Borgia, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Paul Miki.
The third level has a statue of the Virgin Mary in the center, surrounded by angel reliefs, adorned with a seven-headed dragon and a Portuguese merchant ship, accompanied by Chinese mottoes; at the ends of this level are Chinese lion-shaped waterspouts.
The fourth level has a bronze statue of the infant Jesus in the center, with reliefs of the instruments of the Passion on either side.
At the top level, a dove representing the Holy Spirit is at the center of the triangular pediment, surrounded by carvings of the sun, moon, and stars symbolizing the sky. At the very top, there is a cross, the symbol of the Catholic faith, towering above.
The Ruins of St. Paul's is not only a masterpiece of architectural art but also a witness to history. Here, the famous missionary Matteo Ricci redrew the world map into the "Great Map of Ten Thousand Countries" in 1583, adding Chinese labels, and presented it to the Chinese local government. Here, Portuguese doctor Gomes also introduced smallpox vaccination from Macau to China, treating the then-incurable disease smallpox. Here, St. Paul's College was the earliest Western-style university in East Asia, implementing Western education while also training missionaries heading to the East in Eastern culture. The Ruins of St. Paul's is a symbol of Macau and one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Macau"—"The Ruins of St. Paul's." Every year, countless tourists come here to admire this ancient and sacred structure, feel its cultural ambiance, and leave their footprints and memories. If you also come to Macau, don't miss the Ruins of St. Paul's; it will make your trip even more wonderful!
