Un'eredità di amicizia, di dialogo e di pace

The relevance of the figure of the great Jesuit missionary, Matteo Ricci (Macerata 1552 - Beijing 1610), stands out more and more with the passage of time. Recent progress in the cause for his beatification is an opportunity for renewed reflection on the personality and cultural and spiritual legacy of this builder of bridges between Christianity and China, the West and the East.

With this in mind, the Society of Jesus is promoting a Study Day at the Gregorian University on Nov. 15, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Speakers in the morning will include the Secretary of State, Card. Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Stephen Chow, bishop of Hong Kong, and Father General of the Society of Jesus, Arturo Sosa Abascal, S.J. The significance of the person and work of Matteo Ricci for the Church and contemporary China will be presented from different aspects.

This will be followed by several papers by historians and specialists in Ricci studies from different institutions: Anthony Clark (Whitworth University, Spokane, USA), E. M. Giunipero (Università Cattolica, Milano), Nicholas Lewis (St Louis Univesity, USA), Giovanni Sun Xuyi (Centro Studi Ricci, Macerata), Valentina Yang (Lovanio).