RUBINO, Giovanni Antonio. Strambino (Turin) 1.3.1578 — Mount Unzen (Nagasaki), Japan 16.3.1643. S.J. Italian Missionary in India. Born in a noble family. Novice 1596, studies in Milano. Sailed from Lisbon in 1602. Ordained priest 1605 in Goa. Worked in Jesuit academies in Goa, Madras (1613-17), Cochin (1617-19, 1627-37), Colombo (1619-23), and Tuticorin…
PUGLISI PICO, Mario. Aci S.Antonio near Catania 31.12.1867 — Parma 11.12.1954. Italian Philosopher, Theologian and Ecumenical Methodist. Professor (in Florence?). Founded Associazione per il Progresso Morale e Religioso. Publications: Translated: Consigli ai cattivi poeti, poema Indostanica. Palermo 1891 (Mīr Taqī Mīr’s Ajgarnāma). – Much on Italian (esp. Sicilian) literature, religion, philosophy, etc. Sources: S. Corso,…
PORRU, Giulia. 1913 — 2000 (?). Italian Linguist. Studies at Florence, i.a. under Devoto. Ph.D. 1937 Florence, PD in glottologia 1943. Assistant of her teacher G. Devoto. From 1946 Professore indaricato di filologia Germanica at Florence, also taught general linguistics. She was the first Italian to show interest in phonology.…
PEZZONI, Antonino. Lodi, Lombardy 19.11.1777 — Lugano 4.10.1844. O.F.M.Cap. Italian Capuchin Missionary in India. Monsignore. Vicar Apostolic of Tibet-Hindustan in Agra and Titular Bishop of Esbus (Esbona, Hesbon) in 1826-42, then retired after more than 35 years’ service in India and returned to Italy. Publications: Grammatica italiana e indostana. 462 p.…
PERUSCHI, Giovanni Battista. Rome 1525 — 1598. S.J. Italian Jesuit Scholar, apparently never visited Asia himself. Rector of Collegio di Como, from 1573 in Rome. Derived much from Monserrate and Jesuit letters to his account of Mughal India. Publications: Informatione del regno, e stato del gran rè di Mogor, della sua persona,…
PAPI, Carmelo Dionisio Lazzaro. Pontito near Pescia, Tuscany 23.10.1763 — Lucca 25.12.1834. Italian Traveller and Historian. Son of Alberto Papi and Fiora Pierini. For a while studied in a seminary in Lucca, then served briefly in Neapolitan army, worked as tutor and studied medicine at Lucca and Pisa. In the early…
ONORATO DA UDINE (Franciscus Honoratus ad Utino, lay Giangiacomo). Tomba near Udine 7.11.1757 — Rome 8.12.1836. Italian Capuchin Missionary in India. Went to India in 1792, worked many years in Pondicherry, Surat, Madras and Masulipatan. Very little is known of his life (except some contradicting mentions, claiming he worked in Tibet, Madagascar, or…
MONTESI, Giancarlo. 1928 — 1983. Italian Scholar of Religion. Ph.D. 1954 Rome, under Pettazzoni. Worked at La Sapienzà teaching comparative religion. Publications: Diss. Tamas – Usas – Rtà. [1954]. – “II valore cosmico dell’Aurora nel pensiero mitologico del Rig-Veda”, Studi e materiali per la storia delle religioni 24-25, 1953-54, 111-132; “Uṣāsānaktā. Mitologia vedica della notte”, Studi…
MANTEGAZZA, Paolo. Monza, Lombardy 31.10.1831 — San Terenzo, Lerici, Liguria 28.8.1910. Italian Physician, Author and Traveller, also a Darwinian Anthropologist. Son of Giovanni Battista Mantegazza and Laura Solar, a wealthy family. The mother was known as a social reformer and friend of Garibaldi. Studies at Pisa and Milano, M.D. 1854…
MAFFEI, Giovanni Pietro (Giampietro). Bergamo 1533 — Tivoli 20.10.1603. Father. S.J. Italian Jesuit Historian. Born in a noble family living in poverty, son of Lattanzio Maffei and his wife, née Zanchi. Educated by two maternal uncles and in Rome. From 1563 worked as Professor of Rhetorics in Genoa, before joining Jesuits…