BASILE, VINCENZO

BASILE, VINCENZO. - Jesuit missionary in Dalmatia, b. at Siculiana (Agrigento) on Dec. 29, 1811 and d. at Palermo on March 3, 1882. Having entered the Society in 1827, he was appointed superior of the new mission that was being attempted to be founded in Albania (1841-43),

since the erection of a small seminary in Shkodër had angered the Turks, it was necessary to withdraw, and Father B. went to Dalmatia and Herzegovina. He was superior of the mission of Trebinje (1850-1852), then of the Illyrian-Dalmatian mission (1852-59). In 1855 he was appointed apostolic visitor of the diocese of Trebinje and Mrkan by the Congregation de Propaganda Fide.

His interesting report to the Congregation was published by M. Papac, Trebinjska biskupija sredinom XIX stoljeća po izvječtu apostolskog sizzitatora o. Vinka Basila D. I., in Vrela i prinosi, 8, (Sarajevo 1938), pp. 83-102. A good linguist, he translated Father Baudrand's Pensaci bene into Slovenian (Rome 1844), published a prayer book in Albanian (ibid. 1845), another in Slovenian (Verona 1864), and also meditations with prayers by Fr. A. Kanizlić in Slovenian (Rome 1865). In 1859 he had returned to his province of Sicily, but he returned to work among the Slavs of Austria and Dalmatia from 1862 to 1872.