The Virgin Mary and Catholic Identities in Chinese History

Present-day Catholic communities in China trace their history some 400 years back, when Italian missionary Matteo Ricci initiated a mission based on friendship, cultural and scientific exchange and the preaching of Catholic faith. Visual narratives produced by Ricci and his Jesuit companions were an important component of their evangelization method, known as "accommodation", i.e. the effort of translating Catholic teaching in the Chinese context.