The first Augustinian Friars to visit China were Fathers Martin de Rada and Jeronimo Marin in 1575, in the embassy sent from Manila by the Spanish Governor Guido de Lavezares.
In 1584, the Augustinian Friars established themselves in Macao. In 1680, the missionaries Fr. Alvaro de Benavente and Fr. Juan de Rivera, created several Christian communities in the Provinces of Guangdong and Guandi in the South of China. The Augustinians remained there until 1818, during which the number of Chinese that accepted the Christian faith increased through the years.
In 1879, the Augustinian Friars opened new missions in the Province of Hunan. Here they did a big apostolic, social, and cultural work until 1952 when they were sent away by the government of Mao Zhe Dong. They left behind Christian communities were more than 30,000 members.
In the photos is an Augustinian missionary in Hunan, China; 1899, 1910.
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