Mattheus Cardoso et le Catéchisme kikongo de 1624

A long-overlooked Jesuit missionary, Mattheus Cardoso, emerges as a pivotal figure in the history of evangelization and linguistic documentation in the Kingdom of Kongo. His 1624 Catéchisme kikongo stands as the earliest surviving text in a Bantu language, offering invaluable insights into theological concepts and their transmission through subsequent Jesuit catéchismes. The study reconstructs Cardoso's life—from his birth in Lisbon (1584) to his exile from Luanda (1623)—and analyzes his role in securing royal approval for a Jesuit college in Mbanza Kongo, despite political turmoil during the Portuguese invasion of 1622. By comparing his work with later catéchismes, the research reveals the evolution of theological discourse in Kongo, underscoring its significance as a foundational text in both religious and linguistic history.

LUSALA lu ne NKUKA, SJ, Ph.D., L. (2025). Mattheus Cardoso et le Catéchisme kikongo de 1624. Congo-Afrique. https://doi.org/10.64065/congo-afrique.2025.53.486.1139