Louis Francescon
Encyclopedia
Louis Francescon was a missionary
and pioneer of the Italian Pentecostal Movement. Several Pentecostal denominations and fellowships acknowledge him as their founder, including the Christian Church of North America
, the Christian Congregation in the United States
, and the Christian Congregation of Brazil
.
Francescon was born in Cavasso Nuovo
, a small village in the Province of Pordenone
, Italy
, and emigrated to the United States
in 1890, settling in Chicago
. He converted to a Waldensian-Presbyterian mission that later was incorporated as the First Italian Presbyterian Church of Chicago. In 1907, Francescon had contact with the North Avenue Full Gospel Mission, pastored William Howard Durham
, and accepted the Pentecostalism. He was elected one of the elders
of the Assemblea Cristiana, an independent evangelical
Italian church which had embraced Pentecostal teaching and became the mother-church for the Italian Pentecostal movement.
Francescon started churches in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Philadelphia before departing on missions abroad. He went to Argentina, Brazil and Europe. From his work emerged several denominations, such as the Christian Church of North America
and the Christian Congregation of Brazil
. However, Francescon was opposed to formally organizing a denomination, and he eventually left the CCNA. Some CCNA congregations followed him and became known as the Christian Congregations. They retain much of Francescon's nondenominational emphasis. At the time of his death in 1964, he was serving as the senior elder of the Christian Congregation Church in Chicago.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and pioneer of the Italian Pentecostal Movement. Several Pentecostal denominations and fellowships acknowledge him as their founder, including the Christian Church of North America
Christian Church of North America
The International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies , formerly known as the Christian Church of North America , is a North American Pentecostal denomination of Christians. Central offices are located in Transfer, Pennsylvania. Ministries of the church include Benevolence, Home Missions, FOCUS,...
, the Christian Congregation in the United States
Christian Congregation in the United States
The Christian Congregation in the United States is a non-sectarian, non-denominational fellowship of assemblies with roots in the Italian Pentecostal revival in Chicago, which began in 1907....
, and the Christian Congregation of Brazil
Christian Congregation of Brazil
The Christian Congregation in Brazil is an evangelical denomination founded in that country by the Italian-American missionary Luigi Francescon .-History:...
.
Biography
Coming from a poor family, was the son of Pietro Francescon (nato nel 1841 en Latisanotta of Francesco Francescon and Rosa Mattassi) and Maria Lovisa (nata nel 1844 en Pedrosa of Antonio Lovisa and Anna Belligoi), did not complete high school years elementary.Francescon was born in Cavasso Nuovo
Cavasso Nuovo
Cavasso Nuovo is a comune in the Province of Pordenone in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 100 km northwest of Trieste and about 25 km northeast of Pordenone....
, a small village in the Province of Pordenone
Province of Pordenone
The Province of Pordenone is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pordenone. The territory was carved out of the Province of Udine in 1968....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1890, settling in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He converted to a Waldensian-Presbyterian mission that later was incorporated as the First Italian Presbyterian Church of Chicago. In 1907, Francescon had contact with the North Avenue Full Gospel Mission, pastored William Howard Durham
William Howard Durham
William Howard Durham was an early Pentecostal preacher and theologian, best known for advocating the Finished Work doctrine.-Early life and career:...
, and accepted the Pentecostalism. He was elected one of the elders
Elder (Christianity)
An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...
of the Assemblea Cristiana, an independent evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Italian church which had embraced Pentecostal teaching and became the mother-church for the Italian Pentecostal movement.
Francescon started churches in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Philadelphia before departing on missions abroad. He went to Argentina, Brazil and Europe. From his work emerged several denominations, such as the Christian Church of North America
Christian Church of North America
The International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies , formerly known as the Christian Church of North America , is a North American Pentecostal denomination of Christians. Central offices are located in Transfer, Pennsylvania. Ministries of the church include Benevolence, Home Missions, FOCUS,...
and the Christian Congregation of Brazil
Christian Congregation of Brazil
The Christian Congregation in Brazil is an evangelical denomination founded in that country by the Italian-American missionary Luigi Francescon .-History:...
. However, Francescon was opposed to formally organizing a denomination, and he eventually left the CCNA. Some CCNA congregations followed him and became known as the Christian Congregations. They retain much of Francescon's nondenominational emphasis. At the time of his death in 1964, he was serving as the senior elder of the Christian Congregation Church in Chicago.