On December 10, 1584 in the Gregorian calendar, three months after Xu Guangqi arrived in Lisbon, the mission finally arrived at its nominal destination—Rome. As a return visit to the Roman mission to the Ming Dynasty, Xu Guangqi's arrival undoubtedly achieved the highest achievement in the papal career of Gregory XIII - even if the issuance of the Gregorian calendar can only be ranked second in comparison. Location.
After Xu Guangqi arrived at the Holy See, he rested for two days and began to participate in various activities. The first event was the cardinal ordination ceremony held by Luo Mingjian. As a representative of the Roman mission, Luo Mingjian was promoted to the priest of St. Paul's Basilica. He accepted the red hat personally put on his head by the Pope on his sickbed and was awarded a cardinal ring. From now on, His Excellency, Cardinal, finally lives up to his name.
In fact, as early as the news of the great success of the mission in the Ming Dynasty came back to the Holy See, Fan Li'an and Luo Mingjian were already on the list of new cardinals - which means that they had already been promoted to the rank of cardinals. However, according to the provisions of the Code, cardinals must perform the oath and receive the red hat ceremony, and this cannot be done in the Daming Diocese, which does not have a cardinal.
At the same time that Luo Mingjian was ordained, Fan Li'an, who was unable to return to Rome due to physical reasons, and Matteo Ricci, who stayed in the capital of the Ming Dynasty to continue his missionary work, were also awarded remote titles. Because of his pioneering work in missionary work in Asia, Fan Li'an was canonized as the Archbishop of Asia.
Matteo Ricci, a young missionary, skipped the stages of parish priest, bishop and deacon, and was directly promoted to bishop. Although he failed to become a cardinal this time, as long as he doesn't die suddenly, he will definitely get a red coat in the future.
After Luo Mingjian was awarded the title of Cardinal, he could serve as the papal representative and complete the ordination ceremony of Fan Li'an and Matteo Ricci after returning to Ming Dynasty. Until then, Fan Li'an will still be Luo Mingjian's immediate boss - which is what it should be based on their status and contributions.
After participating in this ceremony, the next day was Xu Guangqi's baptism ceremony. As the first Ming Dynasty man to be baptized, and as a consort and count, his conversion fully reflected the results of the missionary work of the Roman mission and was a major event in the political life of the Holy See.
In the propaganda of the Holy See, this event proves that the glory of God has no limits - the Seris Empire has a population of 160 million and an area larger than that of Europe. The baptism of royal members in Rome will become a milestone and mark the Holy See's Missionary work reaches its highest peak! Therefore, it is not surprising that the Pope gave his baptism the highest standard - Xu Guangqi's baptism will be equivalent to the baptism ceremony of the kings of European countries.
Zhu Yijun, who came from a later generation, knew very well what the Holy See needed. Even though the Roman mission built ten churches in the capital of the Ming Dynasty and baptized tens of thousands of people, none of them was more likely to gain the attention of the Holy See than Xu Guangqi's baptism. Leaders like this kind of political achievement, and this is no exception at all times and in all countries.
Therefore, although Xu Guangqi in this time and space was baptized by the thinking of studying things, he still embarked on the path of the original time and space despite the imperial mandate, and reluctantly became a Christian.
According to the original plan, Gregory XIII was to attend Xu Guangqi's baptism and preside over the mass. However, in the past half month, Gregory XIII suddenly suffered from malaria, his physical condition deteriorated rapidly, and he was bedridden. Therefore, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Castana, the priest of St. Peter's Church, presided over the baptism of Xu Guangqi on behalf of the Pope.
There were many people watching the ceremony in St. Peter's Cathedral - almost all European countries sent envoys. Xu Guangqi was wearing a red velvet bathrobe made of silk. When he walked out of the dressing room under the guidance of the waiter, the attention of everyone in the hall made his body goosebumps - he couldn't help but feel that the emperor was a hundred thousand miles away. A hint of dissatisfaction.
At this time, Catholic baptism is mostly "baptism", which means the whole body is immersed in water. In fact, judging from the history of the spread of Christianity, starting from the second century AD, due to the complicated "baptism" ceremony, which was not conducive to missionary work, for nearly ten centuries, many sects used "sprinkling" instead of baptism - That is, the host pours a few drops of water on the face and is done.
However, after the church power in the Middle Ages reached its peak, baptism completely "brought order to order". Even the babies in Europe were baptized by baptism. They were taken directly from the delivery room and went to the nearest church for a ceremony - many young children died of choking as a result. Pneumonia or cold caused by water.
In the ceremony, the basin of water is no longer water, but the "precious blood" of Christ. The so-called Christ used blood to wash away original sin refers to this - soaking in the bathtub once is equivalent to declaring to die and live with the Lord. Once you get out of the bathtub, you will be a Catholic person in life and a Catholic ghost in death.
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In the solemn atmosphere, the choir sang hymns. The protagonist Giovanni is holding the Holy Grail, and Bishop Luo Mingjian is holding a golden cross behind him. There are also Vatican attendants kneeling on one knee, holding religious items for baptism such as salt and ointment.
Deputy envoy Wang Jiaping followed the etiquette arrangements and stood behind the bathtub in Ming Dynasty attire, holding Xu Guangqi's scepter. At this time, he saw Xu Guangqi wearing a big bathrobe. He wanted to laugh but couldn't, and his expression was very wonderful. Xu Guangqi saw it, and his dissatisfaction with the emperor became more and more dissatisfied, and gradually turned into resentment.
After the opening hymn was sung, Giovanni first conducted a mass ceremony and led the audience in the hall to pray: "Lord... today we are doing this in front of you and all the witnesses for these people who have listened to the gospel. Your children's friend, His Excellency Count Xu Guangqi, held a baptism ceremony. Please come and bless us. Lord, you were the one who moved...Amen!" [Note 1]
During the prayer process, Xu Guangqi had a calm expression on his face and lowered his head to listen. After the prayer was completed, at the signal of the waiter, he approached the baptizing Bishop Giovarro.
Giovanni asked in Latin: “Do you renounce sin in order to enjoy the freedom of the children of God?”
Xu Guangqi replied: "Reject!"
Just when he said these two words, a string of words suddenly appeared in front of him that often woke him up and still made his hair stand on end: "I declare that I have no opinions and wishes of my own...I will keep it secret." or openly wage a ruthless war against pagans, protestants, and liberals throughout the earth..."
This text comes from the internal oath of the "Jesuit Friars" provided to him by the Queen's envoy Worthinghay after the Kramer Party was uprooted by Felipe II during the "Assassination Warning" incident in Madrid, Spain - this is a paragraph This made Xu Guangqi resolutely "abandon" this sinful text.
Giovanni asked again: "In order to escape the slavery of sin, do you renounce the people, places, and things that lead people to sin?"
Xu Guangqi composed himself and replied: "Abandon!"
But the text continues: "I will not care about their age, sex or class, I will hang, burn, boil, cook, skin, strangle and bury these damn infidels alive and rip off their wives stomachs and wombs, and smash their children's heads against the walls to destroy their abominable race. Forever..."
Giovanni asked again: "Do you renounce the devil, the source of all evil?" Xu Guangqi continued to answer: "Abandon!"
"If these actions are not allowed, I will quietly prepare a glass of poisoned wine, a rope to strangle, a sharp dagger and lead bullets..."
The three questions proclaiming faith were over. After Xu Guangqi publicly renounced sin and the devil, Giovanni made the sign of the cross on his chest and declared "Amen!" together with the audience. Although Wang Jiaping didn't believe in this stuff, he also joined in the fun. Open your mouth.
Then Giovanni continued the ceremony and asked: "Do you believe in Almighty God the Father who created heaven and earth?"
Xu Guangqi replied: "I believe it."
"I affirm that I will dedicate my life, soul and physical strength to this dagger that I have now received, and I will write my name in blood as a testimony, should my determination be changed or weakened... "
Giovanni continued to ask: "Do you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, died and rose again, and now enjoys glory in heaven?"
Xu Guangqi lowered his head and replied: "I believe it."
"...the brothers will chop off my hands and feet, slit my throat, slit my belly, and burn my body with brimstone..."
Giovanni finally asked: "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and eternal life?"
Xu Guangqi replied: "I believe it."
"...These punishments fall upon my body on earth, and my soul will be tormented by demons in eternal hell forever!"
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When Xu Guangqi untied his bathrobe, wrapped a white linen scarf around his waist, and stepped into the bathtub carved from a single piece of white marble, hymns were sung again in the sacred and magnificent church.
After Giovanni waited for Xu Guangqi's whole body to be immersed in the water, he leaned over to help him while muttering something, making him half-kneeling. Then he filled the "Holy Grail" made of gold with water and poured it from Xu Guangqi's head three times.
Finally, he smeared salt on Xu Guangqi's forehead, lips, etc., and grabbed a handful of ointment and smeared it on his chest - the ointment was filled with a strong aroma, which made Xu Guangqi feel nauseated involuntarily.
He endured the discomfort and strongly denounced the emperor's order for him to "believe in God." After the waiter dried his hair and cheeks, he saw Luo Mingjian behind Giovanni, his eyes filled with tears, smiling at him.
Xu Guangqi smiled reluctantly at him, and said to himself: "Maybe the Lord you believe in is clean, but I - under the leadership of the emperor, will dig out this malignant sore that threatens civilization, so that under the radiance of heaven, evil will be eradicated. There will never be anything left to give.”
