AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH



THE SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH OF AYUTTHAYA





The St. Joseph Church is located outside the city island, in the southern area, in Samphao Lom Sub-district. The church is on the south bank of the Chao Phraya River, bordered by Khlong Takhian (1) in the west and Wat Phutthaisawan in the east. It was the centre of the Vicariate Apostolic of Siam for a whole century (1666-1767 CE).


The "Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith" (2) sent three Apostolic Vicars, Monseigneur Pierre Lambert de la Motte, from the “Société des Missions Etrangères de Paris” (3) shortened MEP, accompanied by the Fathers Jean De Bourges and Deydier, to carry out missionary work in China and Indochina (4). The group left Marseilles on 26 November 1660 CE and reached Mergui in Siam 18 months later (5). They arrived in Ayutthaya on 22 August 1662 CE.


The bishop and the two fathers went to stay in the Portuguese settlement of Ayutthaya, in their mind, a temporary stopover on their long trip to Cochinchina. Because of the persecution raging in Cochinchina, it turned out to be for Mgr. Lambert de la Motte, his permanent residence. They were welcomed by ten Portuguese and one Spanish priest, serving the local Christian community at that time estimated at 2.000 souls.


Unfortunately for the French priests, the relations with the Portuguese missionaries already resident in Siam were to deteriorate. The “Padroado” (6) in Lisbon ordered the Portuguese priests in 1662 CE not to recognise the authority of the “Propaganda Fide”. Priests of the “Propaganda” were to be prevented from reaching their mission and, if possible, seized and sent to Lisbon. The Archbishop of Goa, as well as any missionary, even non-Portuguese but depending on the Padroado system, had to look on the newcomers as intruders and usurpers of the legitimate religious authority. The MEP priests were considered to have been sent by the “Propaganda Fide” to break the monopoly of the Portuguese “Padroado” (7). This situation obliged the French missionaries to leave the Portuguese settlement, and they went to stay in the Cochinchinese settlement.


On 27 January 1664 CE, the other Apostolic Vicar Mgr. François Pallu, Bishop of Heliopolis, M. Laneau, M. Haingues, M. Brindeau and a lay assistant M. De Chameson Foissy arrived in Siam and joined Mgr. Lambert de la Motte in Ayutthaya after 24 months overland. [1-2]


The two bishops, five priests and one lay assistant organised a synod the same year (The Synod of Ayutthaya). The assembly planned to institute an apostolic congregation composed of three orders, and this congregation would be named “La Congrégation des Amantes de la Croix” (The Lovers of the Holy Cross) and decided to publish the instructions to the Apostolic Vicars given by “Propaganda Fide.” The group chose also to issue "Instructions to Missionaries" and agreed to establish a seminary.





(Stamp in honour of the 350th anniversary of the Synod of Ayutthaya)



Two years after arriving in Ayutthaya, the two French bishops felt that Siam, with its policy of religious tolerance, was the most convenient base for their (persecuted) missions of Cochinchina, Tonkin, and China. They asked Rome for jurisdiction over Siam and officially requested King Narai on 25 May 1665 CE to establish a seminary, intending to educate Asians so that they could be ordained and work locally in their respective countries.


The Siamese King granted the French bishops a prominent spot near the Chao Phraya River in the Cochinchinese quarter called "Ban Pla Het" in 1665 CE. In 1665-1666 CE, they built a seminary in Ayutthaya, the “Seminary of Saint Joseph” (later renamed the “Seminary of the Holy Angels”) with the approval of the king. King Narai requested that ten Siamese students be incorporated into the seminary to learn European knowledge. Otherwise, the seminary students came from Goa, Macao, Cochinchina and Tonkin.


The first hospital at the St. Joseph Settlement was founded by Mgr Lambert de la Motte in 1669 CE, and Mgr Laneau supervised it. The same year, Rome approved, after long consideration, the request by the bishops for jurisdiction over Siam through the papal bull “Speculatores”. The transfer of the jurisdiction of the Siam mission from the head of the Malacca Diocese to the Vicar Apostolic of Siam embittered the opposition of the “Padroado” still more. It was challenging for the missionaries of the “Padroado” (read Iberians) to accept the rights to the superiority of these Apostolic Vicars (read the French). Conflict and controversy between the two parties arose. In 1672 CE, the Archbishop of Goa finally admitted that the Kingdom of Siam was outside his jurisdiction. However, he continued to claim that the Portuguese settlement, being “Portuguese land”, was still under his jurisdiction. [2]


In 1673 CE, King Narai granted another piece of land and offered assistance in building the wooden St. Joseph’s Church. The relations of the French missionaries with the court were excellent. The Siamese King based his reliance on France in a reaction to contain the growing influence of the Dutch.





(The Saint Joseph Church – Picture taken February 2015 CE)



The two bishops, Msgr. Lambert de la Motte, and Msgr. Pallu, were given the right by Rome to nominate the Vicar Apostolic of Siam and nominated Mgr. Louis Laneau. The latter was consecrated bishop on 25 March 1674 with the title “Bishop of Metellopolis”.


The fruit of evangelisation was, although, tiny. In the year 1674 CE, there were about 600 Siamese Catholics. That year, the “Church of the Immaculate Conception” in Samsen district of Bangkok was built. The Christians of other nationalities, such as Portuguese, Annamite, and Japanese, were more numerous.


In 1675 CE, Mgr. Louis Laneau, nominated Vicar Apostolic of Siam, became superior of the seminary. In 1680 CE, the seminary moved to a larger location in Maha Pram (Bang Ban Sub-district), also near Ayutthaya, and was named the 'Seminary of the Holy Angels'.


By order of the General, the Jesuits of Ayutthaya submitted to the Vicar Apostolic in 1681 CE. Among the Portuguese Christians, a deep antipathy remained against the French missionaries, an antipathy still profoundly felt in the first half of the nineteenth century among the Portuguese Christians of Bangkok. [2]


Nicolas Gervaise arrived in Siam on 4 Jul 1682 CE. He studied theology and the Siamese language at the seminary. He returned to France in 1685 CE. Between 1685 and 1695 CE, the original wooden church was rebuilt in bricks in European style.





(Interior of the Saint Joseph Church – Picture taken February 2015 CE)



At the death of King Narai in 1688 CE, disaster occurred. King Narai's attitude towards Christianity made the French misunderstand that there was hope of converting both the King and the whole country to Christianity. Phra Petracha, Commander of the Elephant Corps, on hearing that King Narai nominated his daughter Yothathep as regent on 10 May 1688 CE, immediately executed a long-planned coup, initiating the 1688 Siamese revolution. Petracha had strong nationalistic feelings and opposed the disembarking of French troops in Bangkok and Mergui (8). With an anti-French attitude, King Phetracha ousted the French forces from Siam and persecuted all the Christians. The Siamese took Mgr Laneau and his missionaries hostage as guarantors for the execution of the retreat agreement negotiated between the French and the Siamese. As the French General Desfarges failed to respect several elements of the agreement, the bishop and half of the seminary were imprisoned by the Siamese. Mgr. Laneau had his palace out of the town plundered and was himself in custody into the “Court of the Royal Magazines” (9) [3]. This persecution, however, was more political than religious. Catholicism was proscribed as being identified with the French. The Portuguese and Dutch do not appear to have been molested. [4]


“The next day, they had the seminarians, the schoolchildren and the servants taken to Lakhonban. It is a prison formed by an enclosure of large stakes, without cover, filled with mud, insects and stench, where one is exposed to all the rigours of the seasons and especially to the rains which flood the kingdom each year. There, they shared the sufferings of the French who had not left with Mr. Desfarges. No regard was given to the age of the schoolchildren, many of whom were still children, nor to the dignity of the missionaries. They were made to suffer hunger, thirst, nudity, cangues, stocks, handcuffs and blows with rattan, without any compassion. There was not a single one who did not bear bloody marks of the cruelty with which their guards treated them.” [5]


Mgr. Louis Laneau was released in August 1690 CE, and the seminary activities could resume in 1691 CE. The bishop was able to resume his missionary work until he died in 1696 CE. He was then succeeded by Bishop Louis Champion de Cicé (1700-1727). [6]


Another persecution occurred during the reign of King Taisra (1709-1733 CE). The missionaries were forbidden to leave the capital and to use the Thai or Pali language in their religious teachings. In October of 1730 CE, a new Phra Khlang, supported by a brother of the King, started a real persecution. It suffocated every possibility of the apostolate.


In October 1731 CE, it reached its climax when the Phra Khlang placed a stone inscription at the entrance of the St. Joseph Church with four prohibitions on it: Forbidden to write Christian books in English or Pali language, forbidden to preach Christianity to the Siamese, Laotians or Peguans, forbidden to admit any of these nationalities to become Christians and to say anything disparaging of Buddhism. With such prohibitions, it was a simple matter during the following thirty years for any anti-Christian official to make trouble for Christians and missionaries. Moreover, the end of 1743 and the beginning of 1744 CE saw further persecution continuing.





(Altar for Mgr Louis Laneau, Bishop of Metellopolis – Picture taken February 2015 CE)



During the Burmese-Siamese War of 1759-1760 CE, the Indo-Chinese settlement was rarely attacked by the Burmese, as they faced fierce resistance from the Christians under Pierre Brigot, Bishop of Thabraca. After the Burmese army withdrew and the war was over, the defensive actions of the Cochin-Chinese settlement were lauded. François-Henri Turpin (1709-1799 CE), a French scholar, recounts:


“The examples of bravery they had shown, caused them to be regarded as so many heroes to whom the common defence might be entrusted. The French church was called the Church of Victory, and in gratitude for services rendered, presents were given of suitable garments to the Bishop, the priests and the converts. All the Christians who had assisted in the defence of their country received a gift of money and eight of them who had shown the greatest bravery in face of the dangers undergone, were promoted to the highest positions in the army.” [7]


During the inroads of the Burmese in 1766 CE, the Siamese king appealed again to Bishop Pierre Brigot for help against the common enemy. The Christians destroyed the stone with the King’s prohibitions. The French settlement became a bastion and refuge for fleeing Christians, growing into a considerable garrison. [8]


In March 1767 CE, the Portuguese settlement and the St Joseph Seminary were isolated and surrounded by the attacking Burmese. The French settlement fought bravely, but they were few and short of ammunition. On 21 March, the Portuguese settlement surrendered to the Burmese. For two days, their churches and property were protected to persuade Bishop Brigot and his people to surrender. After parlaying with the Burmese General and being promised safety and protection for all persons and property, the bishop surrendered on 23 March. The church and seminary, as well as the Jesuit and Dominican churches, were nevertheless plundered. The houses near the church were burned down. The fire spread to the church and seminary, which were both reduced to ashes. Bishop Pierre Brigot and all the missionaries, together with their Christians and seminarians, were taken prisoners. During the month of May, they were brought toward Tavoy in Burma.


The Vicar Apostolic of Siam [9]


Louis Laneau, M.E.P. † (4 Jul 1669 Appointed - 16 Mar 1696 Died)

Louis Champion de Cicé † (19 Jan 1700 Appointed - 1 Apr 1727 Died)

Jean-Jacques Tessier de Quéralay † (1 Apr 1727 Succeeded - 27 Sep 1736 Died)

Jean de Lolière-Puycontat, M.E.P. † (28 Aug 1738 Appointed - 8 Dec 1755 Died)

Pierre Brigot, M.E.P. † (8 Dec 1755 Succeeded - 30 Sep 1776 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly)





(Altar for Mgr Pierre Lambert de la Motte, Bishop of Berythe – Picture taken February 2015 CE)



In 1831 CE, Father Jean-Baptist Pallegoix began the restoration of the church, which was completed in 1847 CE. More additions in the Romanesque style were made during the tenure of Father René-Marie-Joseph Perros during the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910 CE).


The St. Joseph Church is not very remarkable in architecture but stands brightly at its location along the Chao Phraya River. The main interest of the church is its religious history. The church has been a place of continuous Catholic worship in Thailand for over 300 years. Hundreds of Christians and many of the missionary priests serving them were buried at the local churchyard.





(The Saint Joseph Church seen from the Chao Phraya River – Picture taken December 2008 CE)



Footnotes:


(1) Khlong Takhian is a still existing canal south of Ayutthaya's city island, running mainly through Pak Kran and Khlong Takhian sub-districts. The canal is named after the Malabar Ironwood, a tree often used for making boats and ship masts. The canal originates at the Chao Phraya River near the St Joseph Church in the former Cochin Chinese Settlement. It has its mouth further south, back in the Chao Phraya River, below the former Portuguese settlement and opposite the northern tip of Rian Island (Ko Rian). The canal was a man-made shortcut between two stretches of the old Lopburi River at a time the waterway was surrounding Ayutthaya, used by boats to avoid the heavy current of the river and the turbulent waters near the Bang Kraja confluence. Takhian is likely a corruption of the name of a former village called Ban Tha Khia near the mouth of the canal. The canal is also known as Khu Lakhon Chai. A floating market was held at the mouth of this canal.

(2) The "Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith" (Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide - shortened “Propaganda”) was the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities, founded in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV's bull Inscrutabili Divinae, with the double aim of spreading Christianity in the areas where the Christian message had still not arrived and defending the patrimony of faith in those places where heresy had caused the genuineness of the faith to be questioned. Propaganda Fide was, therefore, basically, the Congregation whose task it was to organise all the missionary activity of the Church. At the time of its inception, the expansion of colonial administrations was coming to be mainly in Dutch and English hands both Protestant countries were intent on spreading these religious doctrines, and Rome perceived the genuine threat of Protestantism spreading in the wake of commercial empire. (Ref: www.mv.vatican.va retrieved on 19 July 09)

(3) The creation of the Paris Foreign Missions Society was initiated when the Jesuit Father Alexandre de Rhodes obtained in 1650 CE an agreement by Pope Innocent X to send secular priests and bishops as missionaries to the Far East. Alexandre de Rhodes received in Paris in 1653 CE strong financial and organisational support from the “Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement” for establishing the “Paris Foreign Missions Society”. He found secular clergy volunteers in Paris in the persons of François Pallu and Pierre Lambert de la Motte and later Ignace Cotolendi, the first members of the Paris Foreign Missions Society, who were sent to the Far East as Apostolic vicariate. Due to the strong opposition of Portugal and the death of Pope Innocent X, the project was stalled for several years, however, until the candidates for the missions decided to go by themselves to Rome in June 1657 CE. On 29 July 1658 CE, the two chief founders of the “Paris Foreign Missions Society” were ordained as bishops in the Vatican, becoming Mgr. Pallu, Bishop of Heliopolis, Vicar apostolic of Tonkin, Mgr. Pierre Lambert de la Motte, Bishop of Berytus, Vicar Apostolic of Cochinchina. The Society itself ("Assemblée des Missions") was formally established by the “Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement” in 1658 CE. Its creation coincided with the establishment of the French East India Company.

(4) On 9 September 1659 CE, the Pope defined the territories they would have to administer: for Mgr Pallu, Tonkin, Laos, and five adjacent provinces of southern China, for Mgr Lambert de la Motte, Cochinchina and five provinces of southeastern China.

(5) Amid this conflict, when the first missionaries of the MEP started their trip to Asia, they could not, of course, think of taking the usual route by sea from Lisbon as did missionaries of the Padroado, but went overland through Syria, Persia and India. Portugal would have refused to take non-Padroado missionaries by ship, and the Dutch and the English refused to take Catholic missionaries.

(6) The traditional colonial powers of Spain and Portugal had initially received from the Pope an exclusive agreement to evangelise conquered lands, a system known as “Padroado” in Portuguese and “Patronato” in Spanish. After some time, however, Rome grew dissatisfied with the Padroado system due to its limited means, strong involvement with politics, and dependence on the Kings of Spain and Portugal for any decision.

(7) Rome raised doubts regarding the efficacy of religious orders, such as the Dominicans, Franciscans or Jesuits, since they were highly vulnerable in case of persecution. They were also poorly capable of developing a less vulnerable local clergy. Sending bishops to establish a robust local clergy seemed to be the solution to achieve future expansion.

(8) In 1687 CE, a French expeditionary force to Siam took possession of Bangkok, Mergui, and Phuket (Junk Ceylon), and France came close to possessing an Indo-Chinese empire.(9) Mgr Louis Laneau of the Society was involved in these events and was imprisoned for two years with half of the members of the Seminar.


References:

[1] A Brief History of the Catholic Church in Thailand (2002). Fr. Surachai Chumsriphan.
[2] The Jesuits in Thailand - Part I (1607 - 1767) by Pietro Cerutti, S.J.
[3] Kaempfer, Engelbert (1727). The History of Japan (Together with a Description of the Kingdom of Siam). John Gaspar Scheuchzer. London. Hans Sloane, Praes. Soc. Reg.
[4] Wood, William, A.R. (1924). A History of Siam. Chalermnit Press.
[5] Pallegoix, Jean-Baptiste (1854). Description du Royaume Thai ou Siam (Tome 2). Paris. p.184.
[6] www.newadvent.org - Retrieved 19 July 2009.
[7] Turpin, F-H. (1771). History of the Kingdom of Siam. American Presby. Mission Press, Bangkok. 1908.
[8] Charnvit Kasetsiri & Michael Wright (2007). Discovering Ayutthaya. Toyota Thailand Foundation. pp 171-3.
[9] www.catholic-hierarchy.org - Retrieved 19 July 2009.



MAPS



Map 1 - Detail of Jean de Maguelonne de Courtaulin's drawing “Siam ou Iudia, Capitalle du Royaume de Siam Dessigné sur le lieu Par Mr Courtaulin missre Apostolique de la Chine”, published in 1686 CE by map seller, Franciscus Jollain, the elder (1641-1704 CE).
Map 2 - Detail of a map out of Simon de la Loubère's book "A New Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam by Monsieur De La Loubere ... done out of French, by A.P. Gen. R.S.S." Printed by F.L for Tho. Horne ... Francis Saunders ... and Tho. Bennet ..., 1693 CE.
Map 3 - Detail of Vincenzo Maria Coronelli's drawing "Siam, o Iudia", published in 1695 CE.



Map 4 - Detail of Kaempfer's drafted map 1690 CE. Werke 4. Kritische Ausgabe in Einzelbänden. Herausgegeben von Detlef Haberland, Wolfgang Michel, Elisabeth Gössmann. Engelbert Kaempfer in Siam. Iudicum Verlag GmbH München 2003.
Map 5 - Detail of Jacques Nicolas Bellin's map "Plan De La Ville De Siam’ based on a Jesuit survey in 1687 CE and published as plate No. 4 in volume 9 of the 1752 CE French edition of Abbé Antoine François Prévost's l'Histoire Générale des Voyages.
Map 6 - Detail of Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's map 1926 CE. Wat Suwandararam, Ayutthaya.



When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.
(Alexis de Tocqueville)





HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA



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