The Franciscans of the Mother of God Province in Sumatra

THE FRANCISCANS OF THE MOTHER OF GOD PROVINCE IN SUMATRA V ERY little is known about the Portuguese Franciscans who worked on the island of Sumatra. This is due to the fact that the Franciscans of the Indian Provinces,1who missioned this terri­ tory, have left hardly anychronicles. Regarding the early Franciscans, who worked in these regions, we possess the chronicle of "the Prov­ ince of Portugal” by Soledade.2 From him we learn that four Fran­ ciscans, Francis de Lisboa, John de Castanheda, Basil do Condeyxa and Anthony do Porto went to the island of Sumatra, but since we have limited ourselves to the Franciscans of the Mother of God Province, we will refrain from commenting on these four. Of the latter Province there exists one chronicle, that by Jacinto de Deos, O. F. M.,3which was completed in the year 1679. Consequently all modern historians know only of the Franciscans who worked in Sumatra up to this date.4 While doing research-work at the Public Archives of Goa, we accidently came across a few items of interest regarding the Fran­ ciscans in Sumatra. Although we have not studied this point thor­ oughly and therefore lay no claim to completeness, we have found it worth while to publish what we have found, especially since con­ siderable attention has been paid in recent years to the missionhistory of the Dutch East Indies.5 We will begin, however, with 1. There were formerly two Provinces in India, the St. Thomas Province and the Mother of God Province, cf. Achilles Meersman, O. F. M., The Friars Minor or Fran­ ciscans in India (Karachi, 1943), pp. 14-21. 2. Fernando da Soledade, O. F. M., Historia Serafica Cronologica daOrdern de Säo Francisco na Provincia de Portugal (Lisboa, 1705 and 1735). 3. Jacinto de Deos, O. F. M., Vergel de Planlas e Flores da Provincia da Madre de Deos (Lisboa, 1690). 4. Leonhard Lemmens, O. F. M., Geschichte der Franziskaner Missionem (Münster, 1929), p. 120. 5. B. J. J. Visser, M. S. C., Onder Portugeesch-Spaansche Viag. De Katholieke Missie van Indonesie, 1511-1605 (Amsterdam, 1926); L. Wessels, S.J., Geschiedenis der R. K. Missie in Amboina, 1546-1605 (Nijmegen-Utrecht, 1926); S. Stokman, O. F. M., "De eerste Missionarissen van Borneo,” Historisch Tijdschrift, VII (1928), 358; Idem, "Gegevens over de Missie op Flores, Timor en Java,” Studia Catholica, IV (1927), 34; Idem, "De Missies der Minderbroeders op de Molukken, Celebes en Sangihe in de XVIe en XVIIe Eeuw," Collectanea Franciscana Neerlandica, II (1931). It may be interesting to add here the name of a Franciscan missionary who worked in Macassar (Celebes) and who is not generally known as such: "O Padre frey Francisco das Chagas de Septembro dito t£ Abril de 1648, foi Commissario visitador da Ordern Terceira e leuado do zello da salua(äo das almas do paganismo, largou o officio partindo para a mi^äo do Macassa onde sanctamente rendeo o espirito tao anci262 THE FRANCISCANS IN SUMATRA 263 briefly giving what Jacinto de Deos, O. F. M., states in his chronicle regarding the Fathers of his Province. In 1638 two Franciscans of the Mother of God Province, Fr. Manuel do Desterro and Bro. Francis da Conceigao, accompanied the ambassador of the Portuguese Viceroy, Francisco de Souza de Castro, to the kingdom of Atjeh (Achin, Achem) on the island of Sumatra. Shortly after their arrival they were taken prisoners and, together with Blessed Dionysius a Nativitate, Blessed Redemptus a Cruce, and agroup of Portuguese, were put to death by the Mohammedans.6 Strange that the Franciscans madeno attempt to have these two Friars beatified together with the two Carmelites, though the documents are as clear regarding their martyrdom as they are regarding the martyrdom of the two Beati. In the old monastery of St. Francis of Assisi at Goa, we saw a number of paintings representing the martyrdom of various Franciscans who in the course of time lost their lives in India and the neighboring regions. One of them pic­ tures Manuel do Desterro and Francis da Conceigao being put to death. It bears the following inscription: Mostrou Deos a gloria das almas do V. P. Fr. Manoel...