Simonia Aida

Roman Catholic Church in Myanmar celebrating the 500th jubilee

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2015, №27, 79-96

 
Annotation: The article is dedicated to Catholicism in Burma/Myanmar. There are only 770 000 Catholics in the country and the topic is poorly researched. Meanwhile the Roman Catholic Church was brought to Burma’s shores by Portuguese sailors in 1511. However the celebration of the date was held only in 2014 after the political reforms have created more space for some religious minority in the predominantly Buddhist country. The year of 2014 was very special for Burmese Catholics. Catechist Isidore Ngei Ko Lat became Burma’s first Catholic Saint. Italian missioner father Vergara and his catechist were martyred by Burmese rebels in 1950, and they both were beatified on May 27, 2014. On 14 February 2015 the Archbishop of Yangon Charles Maung Bo became the first in the history of Burma/Myanmar Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church.

Keywords: MYANMAR, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, POPE FRANCIS, BEATIFICATION, CATECHIST ISIDORE NGEI KO LAT, CARDINAL CHARLES MAUNG BO