Ignatius of Jesus

Contents

Ignatius of Jesus (Italian: Ignàzio di Gesù, born Carlo Leonelli; 1596, Sorbolongo, Pesaro – 21 February 1667, Rome) was an Italian Roman Catholic friar of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites who served as a missionary in Persia, Basra, and Lebanon for 35 years.[1] He is best known for writing the first Western scholarly work on Mandaeism, Narratio originis, rituum, & errorum christianorum Sancti Ioannis ("Narration of the Origin, the Rituals, and the Errors of the Christians of St. John") (1652).[2][3]

Biography

1596, Carlo Leonelli was born as the fifth of sixth siblings to a semi-noble family in Sorbolongo.[2]

He joined the Discalced Carmelites (also known as the "Barefoot" Carmelites)[4] and took his vows on 27 February 1623, receiving the name of Ignatius of Jesus.[2]

He spent 35 years from 1629 to 1664 as a missionary in the Middle East in the following locations.[2]

  • 1629–1634: Isfahan
  • 1634–1641: Shiraz
  • 1641–1652: Basra
  • 1652–1664: Lebanon

He died in Rome on 21 February 1667.[2]

Works

Ignatius of Jesus is best known for his 1652 treatise on Mandaeism, Narratio originis, rituum, & errorum christianorum Sancti Ioannis ("Narration of the Origin, the Rituals, and the Errors of the Christians of St. John").[5]

His other works include Grammatica linguae persicae (1661),[6] a grammar of the Persian language.[1]

References

  1. 1.[1.2]"Ignàzio di Gesù". Enciclopedia Treccani (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  2. 2.[2.2][2.3][2.4][2.5]Lupieri, Edmondo (2004). "Friar Ignatius of Jesus (Carlo Leonelli) and the First "Scholarly" Book on Mandaeanism (1652)". ARAM. 16: 25–46. doi:10.2143/ARAM.16.0.504670.
  3. 3.Flannery, John M. (2013-01-01). "The Catholic Missions to the 'St John Christians'". The Mission of the Portuguese Augustinians to Persia and Beyond (1602-1747). Leiden: Brill. pp. 149–184. doi:10.1163/9789004247703_008.
  4. 4.Lupieri, Edmondo F. (2012). "Mandaeans: i. History". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  5. 5.di Gesù, Ignazio (1652). Narratio originis, rituum, & errorum christianorum Sancti Ioannis (in Latin). Typis Sac. Cong. Prop. Fidei.
  6. 6.di Gesù, Ignazio (1661). Grammatica linguae Persicae (in Latin). Typis Sacrae Congregationis de Propaganda Fide.