Antoninus of Lodi

ANTONINUS OF LODI. - Missionary, in the world Agostino Pezzoni, b. 19 Nov. 1777, became a Capuchin at Orta on 4 Apr. 1796. After having worked for some years with zeal in the apostolic prefecture of Mesolcina, he was assigned (27 Apr. 1805) to the mission of Hindustan, where he devoted himself with enthusiasm to the study of the local languages and translated there the Pentateuch, the Psalter, the New Testament, various liturgical books and others for the instruction of the natives. In 1824 he returned to Rome, where he submitted to the Congregation of Propaganda Fide a detailed report, in which notices on Tibet, Nepal and Hindustan abound. Among the means he proposed to facilitate the conversion of the pagans and the development of Christian life, these stand out: a) a seminary for the native clergy; b) elementary schools dependent on the missions; c) study circles at the individual residences. The Congregation appointed him first apostolic vicar of Tibet and titular bishop of Hesebon. A. received episcopal consecration on 12 Dec. 1825; he governed the mission for 16 years (1826-1842), multiplying works of zeal, traversing the vast vicariate, until, worn out by his labors, in 1842 he retired to the missionary college of S. Fedele in Rome, where for some time he taught Hindustani to future missionaries, and compiled an Grammatica italiana e indostana, published in 1874. On 3 Oct. 1844 he died at Lugano, in the convent of the Capuchins, where several of his manuscripts are still preserved.

Melchiorre da Pobladura