Rho, Giacomo
Rho, Giacomo
Missionary, born at Milan, 1593; died at Peking 27 April, 1638. He was the son of a noble and learned jurist, and at the age of twenty entered the Society of Jesus. While poor success attended his early studies, he was later very proficient in mathematics. After his ordination at Rome by Cardinal Bellarmine, he sailed in 1617 for the Far East with forty-four companions. After a brief stay at Goa he proceeded to Macao where, during the siege of that city by the Dutch, he taught the inhabitants the use of artillery and thus brought about its deliverance. This service opened China to him. He rapidly acquired the knowledge of the native language and was summoned in 1631 by the emperor to Peking for the reform of the Chinese calendar. With Father Schall he worked to the end of his life at this difficult task. When he died, amidst circumstances exceptionally favourable to the Catholic mission, numerous Chinese officials attended his funeral. He left works relative to the correction of the Chinese calendar, to astronomical and theological questions.
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DE BACKER-SOMMERVOGEL, Biblioth. de la Comp. de Jésus, VI (9 vols., Brussels and Paris, 1890-1900), 1709-11; HUC, Christianity in China, Tartary and Thibet, II (tr. New York, 1884), 265-66.
N. A. WEBER. Transcribed by Douglas J. Potter Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIIICopyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Rho, Giacomo
brother of Giovanni, was born at Milan, Italy, in 1593. At the age of twenty he joined the order of St. Ignatius, and, after being ordained priest, he accompanied Nicolas Trigault to China. Being detained at Macao, he aided in defending the town against the Dutch, and in surrounding it with new fortifications (1622). He afterwards penetrated into the province of Shan-si, in 1624, where he preached in the native language with fluency. In 1631 he was ordered to Pekin, where he was employed, with P. Adam Schall, in drawing up the imperial calendar. Rho died in China, April 27, 1638. He left only one work, in Italian an account of his voyage entitled Lettere della sua Navigazione e delle Cose dell’ Indie (Milan, 1620), but he is said to have composed many works in Chinese on religion, astronomy, and mathematics. See Kircher, China Illustrata.