Church Catholic Church Ordination 1654 Predecessor Ignace Cotolendi | Died February 27, 1691 Name Luo Wenzao | |
In office 1685 — 1691 (as bishop) Successor Most Rev. Alessandro Ciceri Consecration 1685
by Bishop Bernardino della Chiesa, O.F.M. Previous post Titular bishop of Basilinopolis Archdiocese Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nanking | ||
Luo Wenzao (alternately: Lou Wenzao, Lo Wen-Tsao, Lo Wenzao, simplified Chinese: 罗文藻; traditional Chinese: 羅文藻; pinyin: Luō Wénzǎo) (1616–1691) became the first Chinese priest in 1656 and the first Chinese Bishop in 1685. He was also known as Gregory Lopez (Spanish: Gregorio Lopez) in the Philippines.
Biography
Luo Wenzao was born in Fu'an, in the province of Fujian. In 1633 Wenzao was baptized and converted to Catholicism. After studying theology in Manila, he returned to Xiamen. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1654 and thereafter baptized over two thousand converts. In 1673, Pope Clement X made him Bishop but he refused. Then in 1679 Pope Innocent XI appointed him a second time and he was forced to accept. After his consecration in 1685, the provinces Jiangsu, Anhui, Shangdong, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan were under him. It has been argued that Christianity in China was transformed due to his presence as a missionary and pastor. He is the namesake of Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages in Taiwan.