Nicolas Trigault

Trigault Nicolas, SJ (* March 3, 1577 in Douai, † November 14, 1628 in Hangzhou) was a member of the Society of Jesus and a French missionary.

Life

With 17 years Trigault decided on 9 November 1594 to join the Society of Jesus. After completing his theological studies, he was sent as a missionary to China. On February 5, 1609 he left for Goa and Macao reached in 1610.

In China, he worked as a missionary and pastor in Nanjing, Hangzhou, and especially in the capital Beijing. In 1613 he returned to India, Persia and Egypt to Europe and reached Rome in October 1614. Trigault His order had now appointed Procurator of the Province of the Order Japan and China.

During the year 1615 Trigault procured important concessions from Pope Paul V. Specifically, the mission in China, it was now permitted, even in the local language to celebrate the entire liturgy ( and not necessarily in Latin). In addition, the missionaries in China were allowed to adjust their clothing at liturgical celebrations of the national costume.

From Rome Trigault traveled through half of Europe, inter alia in Douai, Frankfurt, Cologne, Lyon, Madrid, Munich, Naples and Würzburg to recruit scientists for his mission expedition to China. He tried to collect donations to fund the next trip.

Equipped with a very well -stocked library and a variety of advanced mathematical tools presented Trigault now at the turn of 1617/18 a group of 22 Jesuits together. This group broke under his direction at mid- April 1618 from Lisbon to China.

Before leaving Trigault brought his Father General Claudio Acquaviva to China orden politically separate from Japan and to become an independent province of the order, with him as procurator. In July 1619 they reached Macao. From there they founded, inter alia, the missions Henan Kaifeng and.

Wherever there Trigault was possible, he tried to use as a missionary native clergy in his work.

On November 14, 1628 Nicolas Trigault died at age 51 in Hangzhou.

Works

• Nicolas Trigault: Histoire de l' expedition Chrestienne au royaume de la Chine, entreprinse par les PP. de la compagnie de Jesus, comprinse en cinq livres, Esquel est Traicte continued exactement et jolly ment of moeurs, Loix, & coustumes du pays, & the commencemens tres - difficiles de l' eglise naissante en ce royaume. Tiree of commentaires du Matthieu Riccius, et nouvelle ment traduicte en francois par DF de Riquebourg - Trigault. Lyons, for Horace Cardon, 1616