Una vita sospesa. Apostasia e ritorno al cristianesimo del gesuita Christovão Ferreira

This essay reconstructs the dramatic story of Christovão Ferreira, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who apostatized under torture in 17th-century Japan and later allegedly returned to the Christian faith. Drawing on Jesuit sources, Japanese reports, and accounts by contemporaries such as Daniello Bartoli and Jean Crasset, the study explores the religious, political, and psychological dimensions of Ferreira’s fall and redemption. His apostasy caused a scandal within the Catholic world, particularly due to his high-ranking position in the Jesuit mission. The text examines the mechanisms of forced conversion, the symbolism of public abjuration, and the Jesuit dilemma in handling his case. Ultimately, the essay reflects on the blurred lines between dissimulation and betrayal, martyrdom and disgrace, and the enduring tension between conscience and institutional loyalty in early modern missionary contexts.