Settimio Ferrazzetta
Encyclopedia
Dom Settimio Arturo Ferrazzetta (Selva di Progno, Verona
, 8 December 1924- Bissau
, 26 January 1999) was an Italian-born Guinea-Bissauan Roman Catholic bishop.
He was ordained a priest at the Order of Friars Minor at 1 July 1951. In 1955 he went to Portuguese Guinea
as a missionary, where he dedicated himself to health and educational activities. He first started a leprosary in Cumura.
After the independence of Guinea-Bissau
, he was appointed the first bishop of the new Roman Catholic Diocese of Bissau, at 21 March 1977, being ordained at 19 June 1977. He continuated his missionary activity, working for the promotion at the human, social and religious levels of the Guinea-Bissauans. He achieved the respect and admiration of the population in general, not only the small Roman Catholic community, but also the animist and Muslim communities. In 1998, during the armed tension between President João Bernardo Vieira
and general Ansumane Mane
, he worked as the mediator. He died soon afterwards, before the end of the hostilities, at 26 January 1999, aged 74 years old. His death was mourned as a great national loss. He was buried in the Bissau Cathedral.
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, 8 December 1924- Bissau
Bissau
Bissau is the capital city of Guinea-Bissau. The city's borders are conterminous with the Bissau Autonomous Sector. In 2007, the city had an estimated population of 407,424 according to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística e Censos...
, 26 January 1999) was an Italian-born Guinea-Bissauan Roman Catholic bishop.
He was ordained a priest at the Order of Friars Minor at 1 July 1951. In 1955 he went to Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea was the name for what is today Guinea-Bissau from 1446 to September 10, 1974.-History:...
as a missionary, where he dedicated himself to health and educational activities. He first started a leprosary in Cumura.
After the independence of Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
, he was appointed the first bishop of the new Roman Catholic Diocese of Bissau, at 21 March 1977, being ordained at 19 June 1977. He continuated his missionary activity, working for the promotion at the human, social and religious levels of the Guinea-Bissauans. He achieved the respect and admiration of the population in general, not only the small Roman Catholic community, but also the animist and Muslim communities. In 1998, during the armed tension between President João Bernardo Vieira
João Bernardo Vieira
João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira was the President of Guinea-Bissau from 1980 to 1999 and again from 2005 to 2009. After seizing power in 1980, Vieira ruled for 19 years, and he won a multiparty presidential election in 1994. He was ousted at the end of the 1998–1999 civil war and went into exile...
and general Ansumane Mane
Ansumane Mané
Ansumane Mané was a Guinea-Bissau soldier who led a 1998 uprising against the government of President João Bernardo Vieira, which caused a brief, but bloody Civil War....
, he worked as the mediator. He died soon afterwards, before the end of the hostilities, at 26 January 1999, aged 74 years old. His death was mourned as a great national loss. He was buried in the Bissau Cathedral.