Jesuit Mission

Missionary who came as an ambassador to Vijayanagara empire from Portugal. His main object was two fold - to win over the friendship of Vijayanagar ruler for the advancement of the Portuguese trade in India and to obtain permission to preach the Gospel.19 His approaches and discussions with Brahmins with regard to religious aspects did not bear any fruit but on the other hand, he was even ill treated by them. During his preaching he could make single conversion before he was murdered in the capital of Vijayanagar empire by a mission. Although the atmosphere in the South India was not very favourable to the missionaries, the missionary activity went on. It was Antonia de Padraoe, another Franciscan, who came to India sometime in 1530 converted and many to the Christian faith in the kingdom of Vijayanagara empire. He also built a Church there. During the reign of Ibrahim Adil Shah I (1535-37), there took place good number of conversions to Christianity from the Golla, Sale and Goundla castes at Mudgal and Raichur areas.20 JESUIT MISSION: The Jesuit missionaries came to India in 1542. In the beginning they too confined to the coastal areas but eventually they began to extend their apostolate to Bijapur and Vijayanagara empires as well. In the year 1561, the King of Bijapur requested the Archbishop of Goa, to send two scholars. The Archbishop sent Gonsalves Rodringuiz and Superior of the Dominicans. Though they were received well by the king,

soon the Bishops realized that the king of Bijapur asked for them only out of curiosity and nothing else. They returned to Goa, disappointed. Yet according to a Report of 1582, they made a few conversions in Bijapur. In 1608, two Jesuit Missionaries requested the ruler of Bijapur to grant permission for a Christian settlement and to construct a Church in Bijapur. The King favoured their request on one condition that the Portuguese should allow for a construction of a Mosque in Goa. This condition was not liked by Portuguese and hence the whole idea was given up. But their third attempt in 1662 was successful. The king gave them permission to build a house to a Christian missionary. This act has resulted in immigration of Christians from Portuguese territory to Bijapur. Franscesco Manco, the Jesuit Missionary toured the kingdom of Golkonda in 1641. He travelled across the kingdom from one end to the other and ultimately started his apostolate at Masulipatnam. His travel and gospel preaching has resulted in the establishment of two Christian Mission stations, one at Golkonda and the other at Masulipatnam. The Jesuit Mission constructed a Church at Masulipatnam in 1652 to facilitate 300 Catholic converts. In due course Franscesco Manco expanded his activities and as a result of which several churches were established at Narsapur, Bimilipatnam, Chicacol (Srikakulam) etc. A Church was built at Hyderabad in 1652 with a congregation of 100

Christians. Another Church, built 6 miles away from Hyderabad incourse of time was dedicated to our Lady of the Rosary, with a following of 300 Christians.21 Carnatic Mission was one of the most flourishing missions of the Jesuits in the Telugu country in 18th century. To achieve their goal of evangelism, they resorted to different methods.22 They provided funds and presentations to disarm enemies and there by secured the favour of princes. They entered into secret deals with different warring groups, one against the other and thus avoided hostility from both the groups. They commanded respect from the educated masses by their own scholarship and linguistic ability. They won the confidence of the poor by living with them and suffering with them. They exercised authority over the minds of the credulous by assuming to perform miraculous cures through their blessings and prayers. They accomplished surprising results by gaining control of mental process of diseased and afflicted persons. Above, all, they committed themselves unreservedly to the endurance of persecution when it met them. They baptised a large number of people but majority of them were either aged persons or little children, or the sick and the dying.23 Fr. De. Nobile was another popular Jesuit Missionary from Germany who propagated gospel from Madurai in South India. His broad