Andrzej Rudomina 盧安德 (1595-1631) - the missionary and the precursor of dialogue

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ENThis paper presents one of the greatest Lithuanian Jesuits, a missionary in China – Andrzej Rudomina (Lit: Rudamina, Chin: Lu an de) 盧安德 (1595-1631), along with his cultural and spiritual background in both Lithuania and Poland. It shows the situation of the Society of Jesus in the 16th and 17th centuries, in particular in the Lithuanian-Polish-Chinese context. Andrzej Rudomina was the first of the Lithuanian Jesuits who set his foot behind the Chinese Wall in the 17th century. In 1625 he reached Goa, and then Macau. Then he studied the Chinese language and literature in the Nankeen province and sank in the complexity of the Chinese customs. The Natives called him “Lu an de”. He is credited to have taken part in the conference in Kiating (1627) during which the Chinese equivalent for the name of Lord God Tian Zhu 天主 was attempted to be found. This became Shang di 上帝. He was very much valued by the Jesuit brothers and the Chinese. He died prematurely of tuberculosis being 35 years old. Who was and who is Rudomina? How to read his story, the story of a saint man, an active, flexible and adaptable man, always ready to be sent for a mission, a man of God, dedicated to God and the others? What is he telling us in the 21st century? What kind of sign is he for us today?.