{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 35,
  "chapterName": "1545. Letter of Miguel Vaz to King Joao III",
  "pageFrom": 35,
  "pageTo": 35,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 35,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n35\n35. LETTER OF MIGUEL VAZ TO KING\nJOAO III (1545 A.D.)\nMiguel Vaz was the Vicar General stationed at Bassein. This\nletter, written in November, 1545, reveals the role played by the\nPortuguese king in ecclesiastical affairs. Documentacao para a Historia\ndas Missoes do Padroado Portugues do Oriente, Vol. III, pp. 212-213.\nCited in G. M. Moraes, A History of Christianity in India, p. 169.\nBassein is among the best lands, if not the best, Your Highness\npossesses on the Indian coast. It has been yielding large revenue\nfor many years. But there is not a single church there, nor yet\nin the entire territory extending over fifteen leagues or more.\nNeither are there any means by which we could disabuse our\nsubjects of the errors in which they live; and impress upon them\nthe necessity and obligation of accepting our Holy Faith. It seems\nbut right that this work be undertaken by some men who, working\nin that region, could wean the people from idolatry and Islam\nboth of which are flourishing there. The best way to achieve this\nis for Your Highness to build a church, granting the purposes of\nconversion, two thousand padraos a year from what comes through\nGod's bounty in this territory. Placing this sum in the hands of\nreliable men to spend on this head and entrusting them with the\nwork, they would be able to do much in your service as well as for\nthe salvation of their neighbours. For until the present a sum\nof three thousand, which is raised in the name of the factories,\nis spent for the glory of Muhammad and for maintaining the\nmosques. This I know from the information which, I think, for\nthe reasons they gave me, to be correct.\n36. XAVIER'S LETTER TO THE KING OF PORTUGAL\n(1548 A.D.)\nIn this letter, written from Cochin and dated January 20, 1548,\nXavier asks the king to instruct the Portuguese officials in India to\nassume direct responsibility for supporting the work of the missions.\nJ. N. Ogilvie, The Apostles of India, Appendix II, pp. 437-440.\nTo come to a matter which concerns myself individually. I have\noften pondered in my own mind, after carefully considering the\nquestion on every side, what I could write to your Majesty, as to\nthe best means of spreading, and of firmly establishing, the Christian\nfaith in this country. I am impelled to this course, on the one hand,\nfrom my desire to obey God and to promote his glory. I am\ndeterred from doing it, on the other hand, because I despair of ever",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}