Clement of Jesus

CLEMENTE of GESÙ. - Carmelite missionary, Giovanni Peano in secular life. Born at Alessandria on 7 Apr. 1731, he made his profession on 27 Sept. 1749. A missionary in Malabar from 1757, he earned great merits not only through his apostolic work, but also as a profound connoisseur of the Malabar languages, in which he wrote several works, such as: Compendiosa legis explanatio, in the Malayalam language (Rome 1772); Alphabetum Grandonico-malabaricum (ibid. 1772); Grammatica e Dizionario malabarico-lusitano (ms., Vatican Library, Borgia collection); Grammatica latino-malabarica (ms.). He was summoned to Rome to supervise the printing of the Malabar catechism and of other works of the S. Congregation of Propaganda Fide. Having returned (1774) to Malabar, he died at Mattinceri, as vicar general of that bishop, on 19 Oct. 1782.