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 AUGUSTINUS

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AUGUSTINUS

exterior form of the rites a question of supreme im- portance. Called in 1862 to work for the conversion of the Bulgarians to Catholic unity, the Assump- tionists founded in the Turkish quarter of Ad- rianople, and in Karagatch the European quarter, a residence with a Slav church and a Latin church, a hospital, three schools and a Bulgarian seminary of the Greek and Slav Rites, in wMch forty young men receive their maintenance and are prepared for the office of the sacred ministry, A similar work is being done at Philippopoli, the cradle of the Oriental mis- sions of the Assumptionists. There is also a primary school, attended by 200 scholars, and an educational institute, many of the former pupils of which occupy important official positions in Eastern Rumelia. The Assumptionists have also churches and schools of different rites at Yamboli an.d Varna.

At the instance of Cardinal Vincenzo Vannutelli, when he was Apostolic delegate, the Assumptionists went to Constantinople and established themselves in the Turkish quarter at Koum-Kapou, The animosity of the Turks and the jealousy of the Greeks and .Ar- menians caused the new missionaries to be very badly received. To escape persecution they worked on their building at night, doing their masonry, car- pentry and painting themselves. By this stratagem they constructed their church of .4nastasia, the first church consecrated to Catholic worship in this quar- ter since 1453. This church, to favour the conver- sion of the schismatics, was consecrated to the Greek Rite and dedicated by the Apostolic delegate liimself. The congregation possesses other Greek churches at Kadikoi (Chalcedon), on the Asiatic bank of the Bos- porus, and at Gallipoli. In order to prepare a native clergy, the Assumptionists have opened at Stamboul (Constantinople) a petit seminaire. where sixty young men are instructed in the Greek Rite. At Kadikoi, in the great Leonine seminary, they follow with the ordinary theological course special lessons in prepa- ration for the pastoral ministry. They are also given instructions in liturgy, history, canon law and in the Greek, Turkish, and Slav languages. At the day of its opening this seminary had thirty scholars and eight professors. At Stamboul, as at Kadikoi, there are flourisliing schools for boys and girls, with more than 700 scholars in attendance. They do not suffice for receiving all the scholars who present themselves. To the labours of teaching are united those of the apostleship, in behalf of the natives as well as foreigners. At Stamboul and at Kadikoi, the priests preach and hear confessions in Italian, French, German, Greek, and Turkish. In the various houses established throughout the empire at least ten living languages are spoken. Greeks, Latins, and Orientals unite for the conferences of St, Vincent de Paul, and the Sisters visit and care for the sick to the number of 10,000 annually.

Their knowledge of the Oriental languages has been of great service to the Assumptionist Fathers in their journalistic labours. Twelve of the Fathers who are the most skilled in these studies write in the Oriental Review. They have their special bulletin, "Les Echos de I'Orient", which circu- lates among Greeks and Orientals. Because of the Oriental love of splendour in external worship the feasts of the Blessed Sacrament are celebrated with great pomp. With the consent of the authorities, and under the protection of a corps of soldiers, the processions of the Blessed Sacrament are conducted through all the streets around Santa Sophia. The Catholic funerals solemnized with reverential pomp produce also a great effect upon the impression- able natives. In 1890 the Congregation of the Propaganda confided to the .\ssumptionists the territory in Asia Minor extending from Broussa to Angora. It practically embraces the ancient Bithynia, Already six residences have been established there;

in the city of Broussa, with its population of 100,000, they have estabhshed a large college and two churches, one of which is the Latin parish. The towns of Eski-Cheliir, Ismid, Sultan Eschoir, Koniah (Iconium), Fanaraki have each a residence for the priests with a public church; the Oblate Sisters are also established in these places. At Jerusalem the Assumptionists have erected the Hostelry^ of Our Lady of France for the reception of pilgrims, an- nexed to which is a scholasticate of forty religious. They have established there also the Society of the Croises of Purgatory, and they have a church in which to receive the' Latin pilgrims. The Eucharis- tic Congress at Jerusalem in 1893 was held in the Hostelry of Our Lady of France.

Emmanuel-Joseph-Marie-Maurice d'Alzon, founder and first Superior General of the Augustinians of the Assumption was born at Le Vigan, France, 30 August, 1810, and died at Nimes, 21 November, 1880. He was a member of a noble family, and, being an only son, encountered strong opposition when he decided to enter the clerical state. He studied at the seminary of MontpeUier and later at Rome, where he was ordained priest 26 Decem- ber, 1834. On Ms return to France the next year he was appointed Vicar-General of the Diocese of Nimes, which position he held for forty-five years, serving under four bishops. Among liis earliest notable works was the establishment at Nimes in 1843 of the College of the Assumption, for the education of the children of the aristocracy. This college later be- came the cradle of his congregation. He was associ- ated with Gueranger, Louis Veuillot, and other champions of the Catholic cause. With the " Revue de Tenseigneraent chretien ", which he founded and directed, he restored the Christian spirit in classical studies. To combat Protestantism in southern France he established the Association of St. Francis de Sales. He also suggested the idea of the ecclesias- tical caravan, formed by the priests at Nimes, who by request of Mgr, Plantier came to Rome to visit the sovereign pontiff. This was the beginning of the great French pilgrimages called the national pilgrimages, the directors of which were for many years the religious of the order founded by Pere d'Alzon. By his "alum- nats",or Apostohc schools, he suppUed the education of the poor cliildren called to the priesthood, who, ow- ing to lack of means, could not be admitted to the .seminaries. The Fathers of the Assumption opened fifteen of these houses which in twenty-five years gave more than 500 priests to the secular clergy. To sustain this work of charity, Pere d'Alzon founded the Association of Our Lady of Vocations, enriched with numerous indulgences, by Pius IX and Leo XIII. The brotherhood, by a decree of the Holy See, has been canonically established in the chapel of the College of Nimes, and has received the approbation of many bishops. Pere d'Alzon was much es- teemed by the Popes Gregory XVI and Pius IX. The latter in 1863 sent him to Constantinople to found in the East the missions of the Congregation of the Assumption. More than once he was pro- posed for the episcopate, but he always dechned the honour, preferring to devote himself to the work of liis congregation. Thomas Gaffney Taappe.

Aug^stinus, Antonius, historian of canon law and Archbishop of Tarragona in Spain, b. at Saragossa 26 Feb., 1517, of a distinguished family; d. at Tarra- gona, 31 May, 1586. After finishing his studies at .\lcal4 and Salamanca, he went to Bologna (1536), to Padua (1537), and to Florence (15.38) in which latter place he examined the famous " Codex Floren- tinus" of the Pandects and made the acquaintance of such learned men of the new historical school as Andrea Alciati, to whom he owed a confirmation of his pronounced bent towards a positive and critical