BRAVI, GIUSEPPE MARIA. - Silvestrine, Apostolic Vicar of Colombo (Ceylon), born at Monte Santo, diocese of Fermo, on 16 Dec. 1813. Sent by Gregory XVI in 1845, together with his confrere Emiliano Emiliani, to the mission of Ceylon, he devoted himself to the care of 30,000 Christians, hearing confessions and preaching in Sinhalese, Portuguese, Tamil, and English.
Among the numerous churches he built, the cathedral of Colombo was outstanding, one of the most beautiful in the Far East. In a single apostolic visitation he administered Confirmation to eleven thousand Christians. He resolved the schism of Goa. He worked miracles on behalf of unbelievers, Buddhists, and Muslims. He was called the Apostle of
Ceylon and was certainly one of the greatest pioneers of the missions in India. He died on 15 Aug. 1860 during a voyage on the Red Sea, and was buried at Suez; his body was then brought back to Colombo and interred in the spacious Church of S. Filippo Neri.