Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 1.djvu/542

Rh ANGELA 482 ANGELI It is said that by a vision slie was satisfied that her sister was in the conijiany of the saints in heaven. When slie was twenty years old, lier uncle died, and she returned to her" paternal home at Desenzano. Convinced that the great need of her times was a better instruction of young girls in the rudirnents of the Christian re- ligion, she convert- ed lier home into a school where at stated intervals she daily gathered all the little girls of Desenzano and taught them the elements of Chris- tianity. It is re- lated that one day, w hile in an ecstasy, she had a vision in which it was re- ealed to her that she was to found an association of irgins who were to devote their lives to the religious St. Axgkla de Merici training of young girls. The school she had established at Desenzano soon bore abun- dant fruit, and she was invited to the neighbouring city, Brescia, to establish a similar school at that place. Angela gladly accepted the initation. In 1524, while making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, she became suddenly blind when she was on the island of Crete, but continued her journey to the Holy Places and was cured on her return while praying before a crucifix at the same place where she was struck with blindness a few weeks before. When, in the jubilee year 152.5, she had come to Rome to gain the indulgences, Pope Clement VII, who had heard of her great holiness and her extraordinary success as a religious teacher of young girls, invited her to remain in Rome; but Angela, who shunned publicity, returned to Brescia. Finally, on the 25th of November, 1535, Angela chose twelve virgins and laid the foundation of the order of the Ursulines in a small house near the Church of St. Afra in Brescia. Haing been five years superior of the newly-founded order, slie died. Her body lies buried in the Church of St. Afra at Brescia. She was beatified in 1768, by Clement XIII, and canonized in 1807, by Pius VII. Her feast is celebrated 31 May. Heimbucher, Orden uml Konqreoationen (Paderborn, 1S96), 1. 511 sqq.; Seebibck, llerrlichkeit der kalholischen Kirche (Innsbruck, 1900); Guerin, Les pctiU Bollandistes (Paris), 111, 326 sqq.; Bullarii Romani Conlinuntio, VII, pt. I; her biography has been written in French by Bauthors (Abbe- ville. 1894); at Notre Dame il'Alet (1885); Pastel (Paris, 1878); in German by an Ursuline (Innsbruck, 1893); by an Ursulme (Paderborn, 1892); in Italian by Girelli (Brescia, 18<1); by Salvatoki (Rome, ISO"). Michael Ott. Angela of Foligno, Blessed, Umbrian penitent and iiiystnal wnlor. She was born at Foligno in Umbria, in 1248, of a rich family; d. 4 January, 1.309. Mar- ried at an early age, she loved the world and its pleasures and, worse still, forgetful of her dignity and duties as wife and mother, fell into sin and led a disorderly life. But Cod, having in His mercy msnired her with a deep sorrow for her sins, led her little by httlc to the height of perfection and to the understanding of the deepest mysteries. Angela has herself recorded the history of her conversion in her admirable "Book of Visions and Instructions", which contains seventy chapters, and which was written from Angela's dictation by her Franciscan confessor, Kutlicr Arnold of Foligno. Some time after her conversion Angela had placed herself under the direction of Father Arnold and taken the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis. In the course of time the fame of her sanctity gathered around her a number of Tertiaries, men and women, who strove under her direction to advance in holiness. Later she established at Foligno a community of sisters, who to the Rule of the Third Order added the three vows of religion, without, however, binding them- selves to enclosure, so that they might devote their time to works of charity. Angela at last passed away, surrounded by her spiritual children. Her remains repose in the church of St. Francis at Foligno. Numerous miracles were worked at her tomb, and Innocent XII approved the immemorial ^•eneration paid to her. Her feast is kept in the Order on the 30th of March. Bl. Angela's high authority as a spiritual teacher may be gathered from the fact that Bollandus, among other testimonials, quotes Maxi- milian Sandaeus, of the Society of Jesus, who calls her the " Mistress of Theologians ", whose whole doc- trine has been drawn out of the Book of Life, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. The life of Blessed Angela has been written by Mariano OF Florence and Mark of Lisbon in their chronicles; also by Jacobii-li, Vite de' Sand € Beati dclV Umbiia, and Wad- ding, Annates Minonim. These writers have principally derived their information from her Book of VUiotis and In- structions. The editio princeps of this book, known as the Theology of the Cross (Paris, 1598) remains the chief source for her life and teaching. B. Angetce de Futgineo Visiontinv et Jnstructionum Liber (reprinted Cologne, IGOl) was re- edited by Bollandus, Acta Sanctorum, I, Jan., 186-234; by Lammertz, with German tr. (Cologne. 1851); and Faloci PuLlGNANi (Foligno, 1899); the English translation by Cruik.hhank (Derby, 1872) has been lately re-issued (New York, 1903). See also Lives of the Saints and Blessed of the Three Orders of St. Francis (Taunton, 1887), I. 536-554. Paschal Robinson. Angeli (or Angelis), FnANCESco degli, missionary to Ethiopia, b. at Sorrento, Italy, 1567; d. at Colela in Ethiopia, 21 October, 1628. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1583. After two years (1602-04) spent in the mission of the Indies, he went to Ethiopia, the field of his future evangelical labours. Of a gentle and cheerful disposition, the Abyssinians called liini "the man who was always cheerful". Angeli stood high in the favour of two successive Kings of Ethiopia. Although, owing chiefly to the opposition of the schismatical monks, he was unsuccessful in con^■erting the people and bringing about the re- union of the Abyssinian Church with that of Rome, he converted a large number of the schismatics, among them the brother of the King and many lords of the court. For five years Angeli preached the Gospel among the Agazi, a half-schismatic and half- idolatrous people tributary to Ethiopia. Conver- sions were numerous, and he founded a church and school. He translated many religious works into the language of these people. The most important of them was the commentary of Maldonatus on the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke. CORDARA, Hist. Soc. Jes., par. VI", lib. IV, no. 106, 164; lib. IV, no. 126, 207; lib. VII, no. 165, 390; Santaoata, Istor. delta Provincia di Napoli. Ill, 66, 190, 216. 477; IV, 95, 277; Sotwel, Bibl., 212; Sommervogel, I, 386. Joseph M. Woods. Angeli, Giuolamo degli, an eminent pioneer mis- sionary of Japan; b. at Ciustro-Giovanni, Sicil.v, 15(i7; d. 4 December, 1623. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1585, and in 1002 began his apostolate in Japan, remaining there :tfter tlie publication of the edict exiiclliiu; all missionaries from the country. An indefatii;:il)lc wurkcr, he was the first missionary to penetrate the hitiicrto unknown realms of Yezo, Jasu, and Cai. Angeli, after making many converts to Christianity, seeing that his neophytes were cruelly persecuted because of his presence among them and his preaching, gave him.self up to the authorities. Condemned to death he underwent martyrdom by fire, in the public square of Yezo.