BUGLIARI, FRANCESCO

BUGLIARI, FRANCESCO. - Bishop, b. 14 Oct. 1742 at S. Sofia d'Epiro (Calabria), and d. there 18 Aug. 1806. Having completed his studies at the Italo-Greek college of S. Benedetto Ullano, established for the religious assistance of the Albanians of Italy, B. was ordained priest. In 1792 he became president of the Italo-Greek college and was raised to episcopal dignity. When the seat of the college was transferred to the abbey of S. Adriano, he gave new directions to the education provided there. This earned B. the accusation of being a Jacobin, and on Palm Sunday 1799 a band of fanatics invaded and plundered the college itself. The bishop, together with the teachers and pupils, fortunately succeeded in escaping from the hands of his enemies. On 18 Aug. 1806 a group of brigands, under the command of Santoro of Longobucco and Giacomo Pisano of Acri, accompanied by fierce opponents of the bishop, plundered S. Sofia d'Epiro and killed B. with blows of their fists, after finding him in a granary, while he invoked God's forgiveness for his murderers.