Antoine Thomas

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Antoine Thomas (January 25, 1644 - June 29, 1709), was a Belgian Jesuit priest and Missionary in China. Born in Namur (Belgium) in 1644. He joined the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1660 and first taught in the schools of Armentières, Huy and Tournai. Equipped with a thorough training in Mathematics and Astronomy he was sent, at his own request as missionary to China (1677). After a long and difficult sea journey - passing through Goa, Siam (Thailand) and Malacca - he reached Macao in 1682 just in time to observe an eclipse of the sun (1683). Called by the aging Father Ferdinand Verbiest to join him in Peking he soon found himself appointed 'Vice-President of the Tribunal of Mathematics' a very important and influencial post in the Chinese empire. At the death of Verbiest (1688) Thomas took his place as the main mathematician and astronomical expert of China. For twenty years he was then a close adviser to the emperor Kangxi who, beyond scientific questions, consulted him also on moral and religious matters. In 1692 he obtained an 'edict of tolerance' that gave to the missionaries almost complete freedom to preach Christianity. At a time when the future of Christian faith seemed to be bright in China the Chinese Rites controversy was raging in Europe. Charles-Thomas Maillard de Tournon a papal legate, arrived in Peking in 1705 purportedly to enquire on the orthodoxy of the chinese rites. In fact his mind was made up. Disregarding completely Chinese customs and etiquette he offended the emperor who had first received him well. No pleading of Thomas, then Superior of the Jesuits in China, could prevent Tournon to issue a decree from Nanking (1707) obliging the missionaries under severe penalties to abolish those rites. A last desperate attempt of Thomas, beseeching the legate to defer the implementation of the decree till further news were received from Rome, fell on deaf ears. Fr Antoine Thomas died soon after (1709, in Peking) and was buried close to his friend and predecessor Ferdinand Verbiest in the Jesuit cemetery of Peking.