Samson in China. Matteo Ricci and the foundation of the Jesuit mission

Matteo Ricci died in 1610, marking a turning point for the Jesuit mission in China. His death sparked debate over missionary methods and revealed the fragility of the mission without his leadership. Ricci was honored not as a martyr but as a cultural and intellectual hero. His burial in Beijing—unprecedented for a foreigner—symbolized the permanent presence of the Jesuits. Jesuit accounts portrayed his death as peaceful, exemplary, and even miraculous. His influence continued through letters by Sabatino de Ursis and a Chinese biography by Giulio Aleni. Ricci's life of scholarship and virtue earned him admiration from both Europeans and Chinese. He became known as the "Saint of the Great West," akin to Confucius. His death solidified Jesuit roots in China, transforming cultural boundaries. In 2022, he was finally recognized as Blessed by the Catholic Church