St. Paul's Church, Malacca

St. Paul's Church

Basic information
Location	Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia
Affiliation	Christianity (originally Roman Catholic, later Dutch Reformed, now a museum)
Year consecrated	1521
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	in ruins
Architectural description
Architectural type	Church

Old Portuguese tombstones in the church

Interior of the church

St. Paul's Church is a historic church building in Malacca, Malaysia that was originally built in 1521, making it the oldest church building in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. It is located at the summit of St. Paul's Hill and is today part of the Malacca Museum Complex comprising the A Famosa ruins, the Stadthuys and other historical buildings.

History

The original structure was a simple chapel built in 1521 dedicated to the Virgin Mary and known as the Nossa Senhora da Annunciada (Our Lady of Grace) or the Nossa Senhora da Annunciada (Our Lady of the Hill). The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.^[1]

The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).

A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.^[2]

Association with St. Francis Xavier

In 1548, St. Francis Xavier with the help of fellow Jesuits, Fr. Francisco Peres and Brother Roque de Oliveira, established a school in the premises of the chapel known as St. Paul's College. This was perhaps the first school in the modern sense to be established on the Malay peninsula.^[3]

Xavier used the church as his base for his missionary journeys to China and Japan. In one of those journeys, Xavier fell sick and eventually died in Shangchuan Island, China in 1552.

In 1553, the body of Xavier was disinterred from Shangchuan Island and temporarily buried at the church before it was finally shipped to Goa. An open grave in the church still exists today marking the place of Xavier's burial.

Reconsecration and abandonment

With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church. The church remained in use as the main church of the Dutch community until the new Bovenkerk (better known today as Christ Church Melaka) was completed in 1753.^[2]

The old church was then subsequently deconsecrated and the structure modified and strengthened as part of the fortifications of Malacca. The nave of the church was then used as a churchyard.

When the British occupied Malacca in 1824, the church was used as a powder magazine and was allowed to deteriorate further.

Excavations and later additions

Efforts to preserve records of monuments from the past such as the tombstones found in St. Paul's Church were photographed by the Resident Councillor of Malacca, Robert Norman Bland and published in his 1905 work, Historical Tombstones of Malacca.^[4]

In 1924, the old Portuguese burial vault in the chancel of the church was partially uncovered. Further excavation was done in 1930 by the president of the newly formed Malacca Historical Society, Major C. E. Bone. It was in this period that the tombstones that were scattered around in the vicinity of the church were affixed to the walls.^[2]

In 1952, a statue of St. Francis Xavier was erected in front of the ruins of the church in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of his sojourn in Malacca. A day after the statue was consecrated, a large casuarina tree fell on it, breaking off its right arm.^[5] Incidentally, the right forearm of Xavier was detached in 1614 as a relic.^[6]

References

↑ Tye, Timothy. "About Nossa Senhora da Annunciada". EarthDocumentary: World Budget Travel Guides. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
1 2 3 "The ruins of St. Paul's Church". The Historical City Of Malacca. Maleisie.be. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
↑ "The first school in Malaysia". The Historical City Of Malacca. Maleisie.be. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
↑ Nunn, Bernard. "Some Account of Our Governors and Civil Service." One Hundred Years of Singapore, Being Some Account of the Capital of the Straits Settlements from Its Foundation by Sir Stamford Raffles on 6 February 1819 to 6 February 1919. Ed. Walter Makepeace, Gilbert E. Brroke, and Ronald St. John Braddell. Vol. I (1). London: John Murray, 1911. [140] 69-148. Print.
↑ Tye, Timothy. "About The Statue of St Francis Xavier". EarthDocumentary: World Budget Travel Guides. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
↑ "Cappella di san Francesco Saverio". Chiesa del Gesu di Roma. Retrieved 4 February 2011.

External links

De Witt, Dennis (2013). Historical Tombstones and Graves at St Paul's Hill Malacca. Malaysia: Nutmeg Publishing. ISBN 978-983-43519-4-6.

Colonial architecture of Malaysia

British	All Saints' Church All Souls' Church Atkinson Clock Tower Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Coliseum Theatre Eastern & Oriental Hotel Fort Cornwallis Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Holy Spirit Cathedral Hotel Majestic Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Jubilee Clock Tower Kellie's Castle Kinarut Mansion Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower Malacca Light Malay and Islamic World Museum National Textile Museum One Fathom Bank Lighthouse Penang High Court Pisang Island Lighthouse Undan Island Lighthouse Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum St. Anne's Church St. George's Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan Suffolk House Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Building The Astana

Dutch	Christ Church Dutch Fort Governor's Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Proclamation of Independence Memorial Stadthuys St. John's Fort St. Peter's Church

French	Church of St. Francis Xavier

Portuguese	A Famosa Cape Rachado Lighthouse St. Paul's Church

Historical related buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia

West Malaysia

Buildings	A Famosa Abidin Mosque All Saints' Church All Souls' Church Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple Buddhist Maha Vihara Cape Rachado Lighthouse Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Cheng Hoon Teng Christ Church Coliseum Theatre Church of St. Francis Xavier Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Dutch Fort Eastern & Oriental Hotel Fort Cornwallis Governor's Museum Holy Spirit Cathedral Hotel Majestic Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Istana Seri Menanti Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Jehan Chan Art Gallery Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple Jubilee Clock Tower Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Laut Mosque Kapitan Keling Mosque Kek Lok Si Kellie's Castle Khoo Kongsi Kong Hock Keong Temple Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan Lebuh Aceh Mosque Macau Gallery Malacca Light Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum National Mosque of Malaysia National Textile Museum Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple One Fathom Bank Lighthouse DBKL City Theatre Penang High Court Penang Islamic Museum Perak State Museum Pinang Peranakan Mansion Poh San Teng Temple Proclamation of Independence Memorial Pisang Island Lighthouse Undan Island Lighthouse Snake Temple Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Sri Aghora Veerapathra Temple Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Penang Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Temple Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple Stadthuys St. Anne's Church St. George's Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral St. John's Fort St. Paul's Church St. Peter's Church Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Suffolk House Sultanah Aminah Hospital Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Abdul Samad Building Sultan Ibrahim Building Taiping Hospital Tamil Methodist Church Thni Kong Tnua Wat Chayamangkalaram Wat Phothivihan

Memorials and monuments	Alor Gajah British Graveyard Batu Tenggek War Memorial Cheras War Cemetery Dutch Graveyard Hang Jebat Mausoleum Hang Li Poh's Well Hang Tuah's Well Kedah Royal Mausoleum Kelantan Royal Mausoleum Kuala Klawang Memorial Lord Murugan Statue Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum Heroes' Mausoleum Sultan Abdul Samad Mausoleum Tomb of Sultan Ali Tomb of Sultan Mahmud Shah II Malacca Warrior Monument Millennium Monument National Monument Old Protestant Cemetery Pahang Old Royal Mausoleum Penang Jewish Cemetery Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum Statue of Kuan Yin Taiping War Cemetery Kris Monument Tun Teja Mausoleum

Site	Batu Caves Fort of Smelly Monitor Lizard Chinese Hill Princess Hill Chinatown, Kuala Terengganu Fort of Ruins Fort of Ngah Ibrahim's Lenggong Malacca General Hospital Markets of Taiping Morib Penang Botanic Gardens St. Paul's Hill Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital Biru Seri Kundang Lake

East Malaysia

Buildings	Atkinson Clock Tower Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Kinarut Mansion Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sam Sing Kung Temple Sandakan Jamek Mosque Sarawak State Museum St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan The Astana Tua Pek Kong Temple

Memorials and monuments	Bronze Globe of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau Brooke Memorial Chartered Company Monument Cho Huan Lai Memorial De Fontaine Memorial Double Six Monument Gunner Cleary Memorial Keningau Oath Stone Kuching Heroes Cemetery Kundasang War Memorial World War II Memorial Last POW Camp Memorial Mat Salleh Memorial North Borneo War Monument Petagas War Memorial Quailey's Hill Memorial Rafflesia Monument Sandakan Heritage Trail Sandakan Massacre Memorial Sandakan Memorial Park Sandakan War Monument Starcevich Monument Tawau Japanese War Memorial Tun Datu Mustapha Memorial William Pryer Monument

Site	Agop Batu Tulug Caves Batu Lawi Hill Batu Lintang camp Chinatown, Kuching Duchess of Kent Hospital Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu Nunuk Ragang Queen Elizabeth Hospital Sandakan camp Sarawak General Hospital

Coordinates: 2°11′34″N 102°14′56″E / 2.1928°N 102.2490°E / 2.1928; 102.2490

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