Francesco Degli Angeli (Sorrento

Sorrento

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, 1567 – Colela, Ethiopia, 21 October 1628) was an Italian Jesuit
missionary to Ethiopia.

Life

He entered the Society of Jesus in 1583. After two years (1602–04) spent in the mission of the Indies, he travelled to Ethiopia, where they called him "the man who was always cheerful".

Angeli stood high in the favour of two successive Kings of Ethiopia. He made converts, among them the brother of the King and lords of the court, but did not succeed bringing about the reunion of the Abyssinian Church with the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

, because of opposition from Ethiopian monks.

For five years Angeli preached the Gospel among the Agazi, where he founded a church and school.

Works

He translated many religious works into the language of the Agazi. The most important of them was the commentary of Maldonatus on the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke.