Carlo Tommaso Maillard de Tournon - La missione del primo legato apostolico in Cina (1702-1710)

Since the arrival of Father Matteo Ricci into China in the year of 1600, it has passed more than one century. The Jesuits gradually developed and adopted a policy of accommodation on the Evangelization in China. Their mission, based on the Portuguese Padroado controlled from Goa to Macau, was challenged by the entrance of mendicant orders. The Jesuits considered that the Chinese ceremony rites as civil and political rituals which were compatible with Christianity, within certain limits, should be tolerated. However, the Dominicans and Franciscans disagreed and reported this issue to Rome. The Chinese rites controversy was one of the main causes which led the end of christian mission in China in the early Qing dynasty and future suspension of Society of Jesus. As a consequence of this controversy, Pope Clement XI needed to choose the right persone for such a difficult and complicated mission. Finally, his eyes fell at once on a very young man named Carlo Tommaso Maillard de Tournon (1668 - 1710) who was the younger son of the Marchese de Tournon, a member of the highest nobility of Savoia. Tournon was appointed as Legate a latere (ambassador envoy) to East Indies and China and he was consecrated as Patriarch of Antioch. When the Legate arrived in Beijing in 1705, he was received kindly by the Emperor, but lacking of Chinese culture and language knowledge made a very difficult situation for him. After several misunderstandings between him and Emperor on the use of rites, Tournon was expelled and imprisoned at Macao. Only in the last days of his truly evangelic life, he received the Cardinal’s hat for his courage and loyalty to the Holy See which were highly appreciated by Clement XI. Tournon was a martyrdom of the political, cultural and religious clash between the Roman Curia and Imperial China. In my work, I've shown the current documents and personal letters; I've analyzed the interrelations between the Patriarch and other government and religious leaders; I've given a general view of this significant historical moment in the history of the Catholic Church in China.