New Ricci statue a symbol of East and West friendship

The unveiling ceremony of a bronze statue of Fr. Matteo Ricci

A bronze statue of Italian Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci has been unveiled at the St. Paul’s College Site to commemorate his death over 400 years ago as well as his visit to Macau.
Ricci (1552 - 1610), who entered the religious order in 1571, came to Macau in 1582, after being a part of a missionary expedition to India in 1577.
At the time of Ricci’s arrival in Macau on August 7, 1582, Christian missionary activities in China were almost exclusively limited to this Portuguese trading post on the coast of the South China Sea. During his 28 year mission in China, Ricci became a master of Chinese culture. His experience helped Westerners have a clearer understanding of China, while simultaneously opening a window to the world for China.
Now standing next to the Ruins of St. Paul, the statue was jointly produced by the Macau Art Museum, the Macau Society of Jesus and the Cultural Affairs Bureau.
According to vice president of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) Lei Wai Nong at the unveiling ceremony on Saturday, the installation of the statue did not only show “Macau’s respect to this Chinese and Western cultural exchange envoy, but was also a new attempt to optimise the public space in the St. Paul’s Ruins”.

Chui Sai On attends the opening ceremony of “The Master from the West: Exhibition
Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Passing of Matteo Ricci”

He believed that the statue will become a “symbol” of the friendship between Chinese and Italian people as well as a “witness” to the exchange between Chinese and Western cultures.
The Matteo Ricci statue, standing 2.2 metres high and weighing nearly half a tonne, is the work of local sculptor Vong Ka Long.
Also celebrating Matteo Ricci’s life and in commemoration of his death is the exhibition,  “The Master from the West: Exhibition Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Passing of Matteo Ricci”, which opened at the Macau Art Museum (MAM) on Saturday – the same day that Ricci arrived in Macau 428 years ago.
Over 180 cultural and artistic artifacts covering fine arts, crafts, architecture, science, music, publication, map, calligraphy by Ricci’s Chinese friends, as well as Catholic relics from Italy, mainland China, Taiwan and Macau are on display until October 31 this year.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition was chaired by Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On, Secretary for Administration and Justice Florinda Chan, Bishop Jose Lai and president of the Marche Region of Italy, Gian Mario Spacca.