Anno 1656. Breve de Alexandre VII. em que louva os Missionarios da Companhia de Jesus pelo bem que trabalhão na conversam das almas. [Dez 20]
This abstract describes a papal brief issued by Pope Alexander VII on 4 November 1656—though formally dated 20 December 1656 at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome under the Ring of Pope Pius—and addressed to members of the Society of Jesus. The document commends Jesuit missionaries for their s...
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| Format: | Manuscripts |
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| Published: |
1656
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| Subjects: |
Alexandre VII (Papa)
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Basilica of Saint Mary Major
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Charles de Rami
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Ignatius of Loyola
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Indigenous Conversion
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Jesuit Missionaries
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Papal Brief of Alexander VII
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Papal Nuncio
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Society of Jesus
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Tridentine pastoral methodology
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orderly Christian worship
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piety and moral instruction
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veneration of sacred images
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voluntary faith formation
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Manuscripts
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| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/YLDT3NXT/viewer_YLDT3NXT.html |
| Summary: | This abstract describes a papal brief issued by Pope Alexander VII on 4 November 1656—though formally dated 20 December 1656 at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome under the Ring of Pope Pius—and addressed to members of the Society of Jesus. The document commends Jesuit missionaries for their spiritual labours, particularly the conversion of Indigenous peoples, emphasising voluntary faith formation through piety, moral instruction, veneration of sacred images, and orderly worship of the true God, rather than coercion. It highlights the missionaries’ humility, virtue, and zeal as indispensable to the Church’s mission, especially in distant regions, and underscores the importance of wisdom, discernment, and learned governance within the religious order. The brief invokes Ignatius of Loyola’s foundational authority and legacy, affirms the Society’s defence of Christianity against adversaries, and announces the dispatch of Charles de Rami, Bishop of Aversa and Papal Nuncio, to convey the Pope’s apostolic benediction and solicit support for Jesuit observances across the recipient’s dominions. The text reflects mid-seventeenth-century ecclesiastical priorities, missionary theology, and hierarchical patronage structures, offering scholars primary evidence on Counter-Reformation pastoral strategy, Jesuit self-representation, and papal diplomacy. Entry number 4912 in catalogue "Jesuítas na Ásia" |
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