BOCHINGER, Jean-Jacques (Johann Jacob B.). Strasbourg 28.11.1802 — Strasbourg 12.8.1831. French (Alsatian) Protestant Theologian. Of humble origin, son of Jean Bochinger (1758–1807), a weaver, and Christine Madeleine Lutz (1778–1833). Studies at Protestant Seminary and Theological Faculty of Strasbourg, then at Heidelberg and Göttingen. For a while, 1824-26, private tutor in…
BLEEKER, Claas Jouco. Beneden Knijpe (now De Knijpe), Schoterland, Friesland 12.9.1898 — Amsterdam 5.5.1983. Dutch Historian of Religion. Son of Rev. Johannes Jakob Bleeker (1869–1946) and Jantje (Tine) Zuur. School in Leeuwarden, studies of theology at Leiden, also studies of Egyptology and religion at Berlin. Reformed priest 1925. Th.Dr. 1929…
BLATTER, Ethelbert (or Edelbert). Romanshorn, Appenzell 15.12.1877 — Pune 26.5.1934. S.J. Swiss Catholic Missionary Scholar in India. Son of the elder Edelbert Blatter, a physician. After father’s early death raised by his physician uncle in Rebstein, St.Gallen. School in Rebstein, Sarnen and Schwyz. Joined S.J. 1896, studied in Valkenburg, Netherlands.…
BIGANDET, Paul-Ambroise. Malans (Doubs) 13.8.1813 — Rangoon 19.4.1894. Father. French Catholic Missionary and Buddhist Scholar. Fifty years in Burma. Son of Jean-Antoine Bigandet (1761–1839) and Jeanne Cornu. Educated in Besançon and at the seminary of Missions Etrangères in Paris (two years there). In 1837 ordained as priest and sent as…
BIČURIN, Iakinf (Hyacinth, Chin. Yíāqīntè Bǐqiūlí, originally Nikita Jakovlevič Bičurin). Akulevo, Tsivil’skij district, Kazan Province 29.8.(19.9.)1777 — St.Petersburg 11.(23.)5.1853. Russian (Čuvaš) Monk, Orthodox Priest, Sinologist and Central Asian Scholar. Son of Jakov, a deacon, and Akulina Stepanovna. From 1786 studied theology and languages at Kazan Ecclesiastical Academy, graduated 1799, then…
BICKELL, Gustav Wilhelm Hugo. Kassel 7.7.1838 — Vienna 25.1.1906. German Oriental (Semitic) Scholar in Austria. Son of Johann Wilhelm Bickel (1799–1848), Professor of Canonical Law at Marburg, and Maria Kaup. Gymnasium in Marburg. From 1857 studies of theology and philology at Marburg and Halle, Ph.D. 1862 Marburg, from the same…
BEYTHAN, Karl August Hermann. Teichel bei Rudolstadt, Thüringen 29.5.1875 — 1945?. German Missionary and Indologist (Tamil Scholar). Son of a farmer. After Mission School in Leipzig in 1895-1901 he was ordained priest and sent to India. Arrived in February 1902, he worked in Erode, at Fabrizius School in Madras and in…
BESCHI, Constantino Gioseffo Eusebio (Constanzo B., Constantinus Beschius, Dhairya Nathan, Vīra-māmuṉivar). Castiglione delle Stiviere near Mantua 8.11.1680 — Ambalakkadu near Cranganore, Kerala 4.2.1747. S.J. Italian Jesuit missionary and Tamil scholar. Nearly 40 years in India. Educated at Jesuit school in Mantua. Novice of S.J. 1698, then studies in Ravenna and…
BERTRAND, François-Marie, l’abbé. Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne) 26.10. 1807 — Versailles 30.1.1881. French Indologist (Hindi scholar) and Catholic priest. Studies at Seminaire St.Sulpice in Versailles. Served long time as minister in Herblay, 1837-56, then canon in Versailles. His opinions were heavily criticized by the conservatives, and he was generally wary of letting…
GIUSEPPE MARIA DA GARGNANO (Iosephus Maria a Gargnano; lay Bernardino Bernini). Gargnano near Brescia (then Venetian Republic) 2.9.1709 (hardly 1711) — Bettia in Bihar Terai 15.1.1761. Count. Italian Missionary in Tibet. Son of Count Giuseppe De Bernini and Giovanna De’ Bettoni, partly grew up in Vienna. Joined the Capuchin order…