Ruins of St. Paul's, standing by Mount Fortress, called by the Chinese as Da-San-Ba Paifang, are the remaining façade of the former Church of Mater Dei, which was affiliated to St. Paul's College, founded in 1594 by the Society of Jesus in Macao. In the old days, the College was a large compound, with a church, a teaching area, dormitories, a vegetable garden and other facilities, all encircled by walls.
St. Paul's College was founded with the aim of training missionaries with the knowledge and language skills to evangelize in Japan and China. It was modeled after European universities of the time, with similar regulations and examination systems. Courses included languages, theology, philosophy, science and arts. Students could obtain university-level degrees after passing examinations. With most teachers being Jesuits, students were primarily missionaries to China, as well as Chinese and Japanese seminarians. It was a pioneering institution in China, being the first to adopt such educational model.
St. Paul's College in Macao was shut down in 1762, when the Portuguese government banned the Society of Jesus, and was later converted into a barracks. A huge fire in 1835 destroyed most of the buildings, leaving only the church’s façade. In 1995, archaeological discoveries were made to the east of Ruins of St. Paul’s, including remains of the College courtyards, corridors, prayer rooms, drainage systems, and parapet walls, which are now on display.
St. Paul's College was the first Western-style higher education institution in China. It trained missionaries for Japan and China, playing a significant and far-reaching role in promoting cultural exchanges between East and West.
