CLEMENTE DI GESÙ

CLEMENT OF JESUS. — Carmelite missionary, born Giovanni Peano. He was born in Alessandria on 7 April 1731 and professed on 27 September 1749. He was a missionary in Malabar from 1757, where he distinguished himself not only for his apostolic work but also as a profound scholar of the Malabaric languages, in which he wrote several works, such as: *Compendiosa legis explanatio*, in Malayalam (Rome 1772); *Alphabetum Grandonico-malabaricum* (ibid. 1772); *Grammatica e Dizionario malabarico-lusitano* (ms., Vatican Library, Borgia collection); *Grammatica latino-malabarica* (ms.). He was called to Rome to assist in the printing of the Malabaric catechism and other works of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide. Returning to Malabar in 1774, he died at Mattinceri on 19 October 1782, while serving as vicar general to the bishop there.