 |
|
The Patriarch Luigi Biavi was born in a village
called Ravina in Italy on March 17th, 1833. He joined Franciscan monasticism
when he turned seventeen years old. He was ordinated as priest in 1855, and then joined
the Franciscan Custodians that sent him to Harisa to learn the Arabic language. After a
short time, he became the administrator of the Franciscan College there.
He was appointed as Apostolic in Syria after the death of the Patriarch Valerga and was ordained as bishop on October 18th, 1876. He was elected to be the Patriarch of Jerusalem on March 18th, 1889 and entered Jerusalem in a formal procession. It is said that he was an experienced politician. The thirty-three years that he had spent in the East had prepared him to be Patriarch of Jerusalem. Two bishops helped him to administer his diocese. They were Pascal Abu Dayeh in 1891 and Luigi Bicardo in 1902. The Eucharistic Forum was held in Jerusalem during his time in 1893 and the Emperor of Germany, Vilhilm the Second, visited Jerusalem in 1898. He focused his efforts to develop the existing parishes and to supply them with the necessary facilities rather than to attempt to open new ones. He participated in building monasteries and convents for the Rosary Sisters in Zababdeh, Jifna, Madaba, Al-Husun and As-salt and 18 priests graduated from the seminary during his time. He said, “Schools are the best means to arrive at the soul and the heart; the future is for those who own the schools”. |
 |
