Rodolfo Acquaviva

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Roman Catholic Church
Beatified1893 by Pope Leo XIII
Feast4 February

Rodolfo Acquaviva (2 October 1550 – 25 July 1583) was an Italian

Akbar the Great from 1580 to 1583. He was killed in 1583 and beatified in 1893.[1]

Family

Rodolfo Acquaviva was the son of Giangirolamo Acquaviva, the 10th Duke of Atri. He was the great-grandson of

man of letters. Rodolfo (also known as Rudolfo) belonged to a powerful and illustrious family of Germanic origin settled in the Kingdom of Naples since the twelfth century.[2] His mother was Marguerite Pio where on his mother's side, he was a cousin of Aloysius Gonzaga.[3]

Priesthood

In April 1568, inspired by the example of his uncle

Stanislas Kostka. After completing his studies, Acquaviva was chosen by his superiors for the prestigious and challenging Indian missions, begun by Francis Xavier in the Portuguese territory of Goa. He then travelled to Lisbon, the starting point for the eastern voyage where he was ordained as a priest and sailed for India in 1578.[4]

At Akbar's Court

At first Acquaviva taught at

Din-i-Ilahi ("Faith of the Divine").[6]

Although Acquaviva came equipped with the Bible translated into many different languages, (though not yet Persian) and was the object of Akbar's sympathetic personal attention, the Jesuit felt his efforts were fruitless, one obstacle being the ruler's repugnance to monogamy, and after three years, decided to withdraw, though other Jesuits maintained the mission at the courts of the

Mughal Emperors and in Agra for the next two centuries.[3]

Martyrdom

A 17th-century painting[dubious – discuss] in a church in Colva depicting the massacre of the five Jesuits in Cuncolim, Goa on 25 July 1583. Acquaviva in the center uncovering his neck.

Upon his return to Goa as part of his missionary commitments, Acquaviva led a mission to the

Cuncolim Revolt of July 1583. Acquaviva had his throat cut while praying to God.[7]

Beatification

Acquaviva and his four Jesuit companions were

beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1893. He is commemorated with the Jesuit martyrs of the missions on 4 February by the order and its institutions.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "Blessed Rodolfo Acquaviva | The Society of Jesus". www.jesuits.global. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Acquaviva - Famiglia napoletana, che ricorda come suo capostipite Rinaldo d'A., il quale ebbe feudi da Enrico VI di Svevia nella regione teramana (1195)." Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani
  3. ^ a b D'Souza, Anthony. "Martyrs of Cuncolim." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 3 September 2019Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ "Blessed Rodolfo Acquaviva | The Society of Jesus". www.jesuits.global. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  5. ^ Nickel, Gordon, “Rodolfo Acquaviva”, Christian-Muslim Relations 1500 - 1900, (David Thomas, ed.) 2015
  6. ^ "Blessed Rodolfo Acquaviva | The Society of Jesus". www.jesuits.global. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Blessed Rodolfo Acquaviva | The Society of Jesus". www.jesuits.global. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  8. ^ "The Jesuit Institute - Jesuit Liturgical Calendar".
  9. ^ "Blessed Rodolfo Acquaviva | The Society of Jesus". www.jesuits.global. Retrieved 6 February 2021.

Sources

  • Daniello Bartoli, Missione al Gran Mogor del p. Ridolfo Acquaviva della Compagnia di Gesu, sua vita e morte (1663); Salerno (1998);Googlebook (1714)[1]
  • Sir Edward Maclagan
    , The Jesuits and the Great Mogul (1932)
  • Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Martyrs of Cuncolim" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  • Teotonio de Souza, Why Cuncolim Martyrs?
  • Youri Martini, Akbar e i Gesuiti. Missionari cristiani alla corte del Gran Moghul, Il Pozzo di Giacobbe, Trapani 2018,
    ISBN 978-8861246911
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rodolfo_Acquaviva&oldid=1149699060"