Ruins of St. Paul's in Macau
The St. Paul's Ruins used to be the main facade of St. Paul's Church (Church of Mater Dei) The Society of Jesus has been in Macau since 1565 with a mission to carry out evangelical and educational work. The order initially lived near what is now St. Anthony's Church but soon moved to the area stretching from the Ruins of St. Paul's to Monte Fortress. There, on the 1st of December 1594, they founded the first western style university in the Far East - St. Paul's College. Work on the college and church began in 1602 after plans by Martyr of Japan Father Carlo Spinola (1564 - 1622). It was consecrated in the following year. The monumental facade was completed several years later in 1637 - 40. In 1836, the College and the Church were destroyed in a fire. Only the facade and a large part of the foundation have survived up to the present day and are now called the " Ruins of St. Paul's " In Him