François Pallu facts for kids
François Pallu (1626–1684) was a French bishop. He was a key person in starting the Paris Foreign Missions Society. This group sent missionaries to Asia. Pallu himself became an important missionary in Asia.
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Life and Missions in Asia
François Pallu was born in Tours, France. A man named Alexander de Rhodes asked him to become a missionary in Asia. Pallu agreed, along with Pierre Lambert de la Motte and Ignace Cotolendi. They were chosen to be special church leaders called Apostolic Vicars. They would lead missions in the Far East.
In 1658, Pallu became the Bishop of Heliopolis. He also became the Apostolic Vicar for Tonkin. This area included northern Vietnam, Laos, and parts of southwest China.
Long Journey to Asia
The three bishops left France between 1660 and 1662. They had to travel to their missions. They walked across Persia and India. They could not go by ship. Portugal would not take missionaries who were not part of their system. The Dutch and English also refused to carry Catholic missionaries.
Lambert left France in November 1660. He reached Mergui in Siam (now Thailand) 18 months later. Pallu, with nine helpers, started his journey in January 1662. He met Lambert in Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam. It took Pallu 24 months to travel overland. Sadly, Bishop Cotolendi died when he arrived in India in August 1662.
Founding a Seminary
With Lambert, Pallu started a special school in 1665-1666. This school was a seminary in Ayutthaya, Siam. It was called the Seminary of Saint Joseph. This school was the beginning of the College General, which is now in Penang, Malaysia.
From 1667 to 1673, Pallu was back in France. During this time, he wrote a book. It told about the French missions in Southeast Asia. He returned to Siam in 1673.
Unexpected Journey and Return
In 1674, Pallu was sailing to his area in Tonkin. But a big storm hit his ship. He had to land in Manila, which was controlled by Spain. The Spanish put him in prison. Then, they sent him on a ship to Acapulco in Mexico. From there, he was sent to Spain to be judged.
Finally, he was set free. Pope Innocent XI and King Louis XIV of France helped him. After this unplanned trip around the world, he could only return to Siam in July 1682.
In 1684, Pallu arrived in China. He was in charge of the church area that is now the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fuzhou. He died in the same year in Muyang, Fujian, China.
Writings
François Pallu wrote several books about his missions and travels. These books helped people in France understand what was happening in Asia.
- Relation abregée des missions et des voyages des évèques françois (1668)
- Mémoire sur l'état présent des missions et des évèques francais vicaires apostoliques dans la Chine et dans les royaumes de l'Orient (1677)
- Relations des missions et voyages des évèques, vicaires apostoliques, et leurs éclesiastiques (1680)
- État sommaire des missions de la Chine
See also
- France-Thailand relations
