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Fr.
Ignatius of Jesus
Ordo Fratrum Carmelitarum Discalceatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis de Monte Carmelo
Personal
Born
Carlo Leonelli

1596
Sorbolongo in the Papal States
DiedFebruary 21, 1667(1667-02-21) (aged 70–71)
Rome
Resting placeSanta Maria della Scala
ReligionRoman Catholic
NationalityItalian; Subject of the Papal States [1]
Parents
Notable work(s)
  • Narration of the Origin, the Rituals and the Errors of the Christians of Saint John
  • Grammatica Linguae Persicae
  • Persian translation of Dottrina cristiana
Monastic nameIgnatius of Jesus
Organization
OrderDiscalced Carmelite
Senior posting
Initiation27 February 1623
Saint Silvestro in Tusculano
Post
  • Vicar of convent in Shiraz (1634–1641)
  • Vicar of convent in Basra (1641/2–1649)
  • Vicar of missions in Mt. Libanon (c.1656–c.1658 )

Ignatius of Jesus (1596 – 21 February 1667), born Carlo Leonelli in Sorbolongo near Fossombrone in the province of Pesaro, in the Papal States,[2] was a Discalced Carmelite friar and missionary. He earned a degree in civil and canon law before taking his holy vows on February 27, 1623 at the age of 27.[3] Upon entering the order, he took the name Ignatius of Jesus. In 1629 he was sent as a missionary to Persia and did not return to Rome until 1664, less than three years before his death in February 1667.

He is well known for his study of Mandaeism while he was on mission to Basra. His book, Narration of the Origin, the Rituals and the Errors of the Christians of Saint John, is widely though incorrectly reported as the first study[4] of the Mandaeans and their beliefs (a bit more on the book) . He also wrote several works on the languages of the region, including a grammar and dictionary of Persian for use by fellow missionaries.

Biography

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Family

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Carlo was the the fifth of six siblings, having three sisters and two brothers. His family, the Leonelli Sorbolonghi of Fossombrone were a rich and semi-noble family.[3] His father, Giulio Leonelli, was a lawyer and his mother, Virginia Leonelli née Fornari[5], was reported to be very pious and to have passed her strong faith on to her children. Carlo’s eldest brother, Mutatesia Leonelli, was a lawyer, poet and Tesoriere Pontifica;[5] His brother, Innocenzo Leonelli, was a soldier who later gave up his name and wealth to become a hermit and was granted the epithet il Venerabile by the Church after his death; While one of his three sisters became a nun.[3]

Life as a Discalced Carmelite

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Carmelite missionaries typically start language training before they leave on mission.[6] (Need to cover time (1623–1629) between becoming a friar and leaving. // Add a bit about DC as missionaries in general.)

The Carmelites in Persia

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In 1604 Pope Clement VIII concluded negotiations, begun by his predecessor Pope Pius V while seeking allies against the Ottomans, with the Persian Shah. As a result of this Shah ʿAbbās allowed the Discalced Carmelites to send a mission to Isfahan. He welcomed them with the gift of a royal residence near Meydān-e Mīr[i] wherein to establish their monastery.[6] The Carmelites established an Armenian boys' school in the monastery. In January, 1629 – several months before Ignatius arrived there – the first Persian language movable type printing was delivered there from Rome at the request of the Shah.[8] This is where, after years of study in Rome, Ignatius began his mission. In Flannery (2013) it is noted the press was initially requested of di Propaganda Fide by the Carmelites to print holy books and materials for the Christians. "Ingoli the cardinal of the Propaganda, notes that ‘Abbas had several times asked the missionaries in his capital for such a press, and that if one was not sent from Rome he was likely to obtain it from the Dutch Calvinists." Fr. Peter Thomas (1939a, p. 301) quoted in Flannery (2013, p. 175).

Ignatius set out from Naples for his first foreign mission on the eighteenth of February, 1629. He traveled with a delegation of fellow Carmelites which included Visitor General Fr. Epiphanius of S. John Baptist and two other Carmelite friars. Six months later, on the seventeenth of August, 1629, they arrived at the Discalced Carmelite mission in Isfahan.[1]

Isfahan

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(Details/context for DC in Isfahan) The Isfahan mission was the primary diplomatic point of contact between the Pope and the Shah. It was initially staffed by non-Potugese missionaries because the Pope wanted to regain some of the influence lost to Portugal in the non-Christian East.

A year later a report sent to Rome by his superior, Fr. Dimas, says he is working diligently to learn Persian and has already obtained a degree of fluency in the language. During this time Ignatius writes a letter to his superiors in Rome in which he complains about the boys school in the Convent. He is remarks particularly on how he feels it inappropriate for the school boys to live among and take their meals with the friars.[1]

After five years of learning the ropes at the Carmelite's most important mission in Persia, he was instructed, in November of 1634, to accompany the Vicar Provincial to Shiraz to reopen the convent.[1]

Shiraz

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The convent at Shiraz (Discuss unique nature of relationship with locals, particularly w/ IQK) In 1632 the Definitory General ordered the closing of the convent. It remained closed until November of 1634 when Ignatius was appointed Vicar of the re-opened convent.[9]

Searched for and provided spiritual aid to Circassian Christians who had been transplanted to the Ramjird district of Fars by Shah ’Abbas.[1] Records show that in 16NN Ignatius traveled to villages looking for Christians. He found some generally oppressed Other than this report there is no further record of his work with these Christians.[9]

In Shiraz we see the first evidence, through a report of his experimentation with bringing in Portuguese ships to a port nearer to Shiraz than the their usual destination in Kung[1], of his dealings with the Portuguese, which will become much more significant after his move to Basra and attempts to start the Mdn exodus to India which (NAME ) had failed to get going. Fr. Peter Thomas (1939b) notes that which port he chose is unclear due to the spelling in his reports and suggests it could have been Rig or Rishir. Whichever it is there is no further mention of these trials but by the time Ignatius arrives in Basra it is evident he has good relations with both the Portuguese and the East India Company.

By late 1635 he had sowered on Shiraz following "[Governor] Imam-Quli Khan, and his sons had been put to death, and in consequence less respect to the missionaries being shown by townspeople."[1] (Try to find source to give some historical context) and at the end of 1641 the Praepositus General gave him permission to return to Rome.[1]

(In (Khanbaghi p .198) according to (Baghdiantz pp. 50-51), Iman-Quli Khan was an Armenian Christian "apostate" i.e. who converted to Islam. // Babaie (2004) notes new scholarship says he was Georgian // One of the richest people in the empire. One of his sons was involved in revolt against Shah S. Shah S. had IQK and his family put to death in 1633. // -- see if there is anything to tie this to status of Shiraz convent else add to IQK's article.)

Basra and the Mandaeans

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His superior in the province and the Visitor requested he stay on because there were not enough friars to manage the convents. He agrees to stay and is made Vicar of the convent in Basra towards the end of 1641 or in early 1642 and serves in that position until the end of May, 1649.[1]

  • (Reappointed as Vicar in Basra in 1646 [10]. Sometime before 1648 di Propaganda Fide expanded his remit and made him Vicar to all Mandaeans. In 1649 his letters of 1649 he tells di Propaganda he supports the idea of appointing a Bishop for the Mandaeans. [11])

Wrote dictionaries and grammars (Discuss Carmelite desire for language info)

While in Basra Ignatius acted as an agent handling correspondence between Indian and European representatives of the East India Company. A message, in February of 1650, from President at Swally to the Company reads, in part, " Any letters overland may be directed to Basra for the care of a Carmelite Padre, one Ignatio an Italian, whoe hath a good report as a lover of our nation."[1]

The Mandaeans before Ignatius
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Initially Fr. Basílio de São Francisco's intention to open a convent in Basra to deal with the Mandaeans was unknown to his superiors within the order in Rome[12]

  • (Discuss initial attempts at migration to India and Portuguese desire to use them as troops.)
  • ( Briefly discuss initial contact and attempts at conversion // Mutual 'misunderstanding' to advance each party's goals - * Mandaean's desire for aid against Persians or resettlement, the Church's desire for a 'victory' by 'retuning lost Christians to the fold', and the Portuguese desire to settle them in India to support their interests there.)
  • (de Propaganda Fide request for translations of Mandaen's scriptures.)
  • (Stopped when...)
Ignatius and the Mandaeans
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Atempted conversian of Mnds. (• More details on Mdns Lupieri (2008) • Why considered important • What he thought Mnds were • Refutation • Modern view)

Wrote his book on Mdns and their religion. Framed as 34 'errors' and discussion with 'ideal' Mdn interloquiter to refute the errors. (Most details will be in (Lupieri (2003) )

  • (Attempted migration of Mandaeans - discussed in detail in Flannery (2013) )

After Basra

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On the tenth of December 1652 he leaves Basra on a steamboat intending to travel to Baghdad and then back to Rome. The records of the Discalced Carmelites, as reported in A Chronicle Of The Carmelites In Persia, have no record of him from that time until he is reported as the "Vicar of the missions in Mt. Libanon" in 1656. There is again a gap until he is reported as being in Tripoli from 1658–1663 from whence, in 1658, a report from another missionary is received in Rome describing him as "decrepit". Sometime in 1664 the Definitory General of the order instructs him to return to Rome and he arrives there before the end of 1664.[1]

The only record of Ignatius after his return to Rome are of requests he made in March 1665 to de Propaganda Fide for several printed copies of Narratio originis rituum et errorum Christianorum Sancti Joannis and of his Grammatica Linguae Persicae to be provided to the Procurator of the Order of Discalced Carmelites.[1]

Ignatius of Jesus died on the twenty-first of February 1667. His epitaph read "mighty in speech— he wrote many things in the Persian tongue"[1]. He is buried at the church of Santa Maria della Scala in Rome.[13]

Works

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(Discuss work on Mandaeans and language handbooks. Most detail will come from Encyclopedia Iranica article Orsatti (2012) and Lupieri (2003) )

Ignatius was the author of several works which exist only as manuscripts in (LOCATIONS ) . These include a translation into Persian of Roberto Bellarmino's Dottrina cristiana.[1] (more ?) (See if published after Chron. reports unpub. in 1939) (List others & add historical value of his letters)

Narratio originis rituum et errorum Christianorum Sancti Joannis

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Ignatius a Jesu (1652). Narratio originis, rituum, et errorum Christianorum Sancti Ioannis, cui adiungitur Discursus per modum dialogi, in quo confutantur XXXIIII errores eiusdem nationis [Narration of the Origin, the Rituals and the Errors of the Christians of Saint John]. Rome: de Propaganda Fide.

  • Thesis disproved by (NAME ) who consulted with to Mdns who came to Rome and studying the books the brought.
  • He advised he had completed writing it in 1649 and says he is working on Persian and Arabic translations. [11]

Scrinium Duarum Linguarum Orientalium

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(Add description) Includes:

  • Grammatica Linguae Persicae was written at the request of de Propaganda Fide."[1] and was the third work on Persian grammar published in Europe.[14]
  • A Latin-Persian dictionary — printed and published 1651 by de Propaganda Fide.
  • A grammar of the Arabic language — printed and published 1652 by de Propaganda Fide.[1]

Scrinium Quatuor Linguarum Orientalium

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Was to be work to be used for the learning of Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and Mandaean. He is said to have been writing it throughout his mission however any manuscripts he may have written are now lost.[14])

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Also known as Masjed-e Meydan. [7]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Fr. Peter Thomas (1939b), pp. 898–899. Cite error: The named reference "FOOTNOTEFr. Peter Thomas1939b898–899" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ Lupieri (2001), pp. 93–95.
  3. ^ a b c Lupieri (2003).
  4. ^ Flannery (2013), p. ??.
  5. ^ a b Vernarecci (1872), p. 20.
  6. ^ a b Richard (1990).
  7. ^ Kerber (2010).
  8. ^ Floor (1990).
  9. ^ a b Fr. Peter Thomas (1939a), p. 322.
  10. ^ Flannery (2013), p. 189.
  11. ^ a b Flannery (2013), p. 190.
  12. ^ Flannery (2013), p. 174.
  13. ^ Piemontese (2010).
  14. ^ a b Orsatti (2012).

Bibliography

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Category:Discalced Carmelites Category:Roman Catholic missionaries in Palestine (region)‎ Category:Roman Catholic missionaries in Iran Category:Roman Catholic missionaries in Libya Category:Roman Catholic writers Category:Italian Roman Catholic missionaries Category:1596 births Category:1667 deaths Category:Discalced Carmelite missionaries

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