Starting From and Beyond Matteo Ricci: Perspectives for the Inculturation of the Liturgical Space in China

Francesca Leto

doi:10.17979/aarc.2021.8.0.8854

Authors

Francesca Leto Facoltà Teologica del Triveneto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17979/aarc.2021.8.0.8854

Keywords:

Matteo Ricci, China, Inculturation, Liturgical Space, Architecture

Abstract

Between 1500 and 1600, the Jesuit Matteo Ricci carried out a true process of inculturation of Christianity in China. Later, other actors operated according to acculturation, which is a form of colonialism. This process also occurred in the construction of churches, most of which were built in the neo-Gothic style. In 1926, Dom Gresnigt was sent to China with the aim of creating a new Sino-Christian style, backed by Bishop Costantini and the new missionary policy. However, these attempts at architectural inculturation only focused on stylistic issues. At present we must act according to an intercultural dialogue that, starting from a textual translation of the liturgical books and ritual action, can provide the architect with images of experience that are capable of being implemented as places and movements on the horizon of the sacred. Metaphors have to be found and even better affordances have to be found to increase the efficacy of ritual actions, making even the merely imaginable emotionally perceptible.

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Author Biography

Francesca Leto, Facoltà Teologica del Triveneto

Francesca Leto is an architect (Venice, 1994) and Doctor of Theology with specialization in Pastoral Liturgy (Pastoral Liturgy Institute of Santa Giustina, Padua, 2017). Associate Professor of Liturgy at the Institute of Religious Sciences A. Onisto of Vicenza. Member of the Association of Professors of Liturgy. His field of activity as an architect is liturgical adaptation and he is building a new church in Sardinia (the 6th edition - Progetto Pilotta Competition - Italian Episcopal Conference). He has been a lecturer at congresses and at different universities: Pontifical Theological University of Southern Italy, San Luigi, Theological University of Triveneto and visiting professor at the Pontifical Institute San Anselmo, Rome, in the Master Architecture for the Liturgy: Theology of the liturgical place. She works as an architect and as liturgical consultant in many competitions for the construction of new places of worship. She is the author of several articles in magazines and publications.

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