ANCHIETA, José de. — Missionary, apostle of Brazil. Born in La Laguna (Canary Islands) on 19 March 1534, he studied at the University of Coimbra and in 1551 entered the Society of Jesus; his already failing health led to his being sent two years later to the Brazilian mission. In 1554 the young religious was part of the group designated by the provincial Manuel de Nobrega for the founding of the Mission of São Paulo in the village of Piratinga (for this reason, and for the outstanding work he later carried out there, he must be counted among the founders of the present city of São Paulo). He remained there as a teacher of grammar before going with Nobrega to negotiate peace between the Portuguese and the fierce Tamoios, whose raids were paralyzing the colony’s development; his stay among the barbarians at Iperogi as a hostage is an episode of epic grandeur in the history of colonial Brazil. Ordained priest in 1566, he accompanied Nobrega in the founding of Rio de Janeiro (1567), but was sent back as superior to the mission of São Vicente, which he governed until 1577, directing at the same time the conversion of the Tapuyas. Provincial with headquarters in Bahia (1578–86), he governed the entire mission during the delicate period of transition from pioneer life to more stable forms of activity. But his strength was now exhausted; he was still able to work as a missionary or superior in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo and died in a reputation for holiness on 9 June 1591 at Reritiba (now Anchieta).
Recent historical research has been able to bring out more clearly the part played by Nobrega as the initiator and organizer of the Jesuit work in Brazil; Anchieta continues to embody the missionary and cultural effort, thanks to his tireless and versatile activity, his reputation for sanctity and thaumaturgy, and the gifts of mind and style that enabled him to give expression to the soul of Brazil.
His writings are in fact the first essays of Brazilian literature. He composed the first grammar of the Tupi language: *Arte de grammatica da lingua mais usada na costa do Brasil* (Coimbra 1595, reprints at Leipzig 1859 and 1874; a facsimile edition edited by J. Platzmann, ibid. 1876), a dictionary, a catechism with dialogues on mysteries in Guaraní, sermons, poetry, and religious dramas in Portuguese, Latin, Tupi, and Guaraní. In his numerous letters and fragments the troubled life of the colony and the mission is reflected with great vividness. The fourth centenary of his birth, in 1934, took on the proportions of a national celebration throughout Brazil.