Celebrating a Great Pioneering Missionary: Jordan de Catalani of Severac, OP († circa 1332)
Published in Dominican Ashram , Vol. 3 Issue 3 (September 2021), pp. 117-121. Reproduced with permission. In the year 1321, seven centuries ago, a zealous Dominican missionary, Jordan de Catalani of Severac, together with four Franciscan companions, arrived in India, having left from Tabriz in Persia and sailing along the coast to reach Thane (off present-day Mumbai) on the shores of the West Coast of India. They were not the first friars to visit the country. About thirty years earlier, the Franciscan Giovanni da Monte Corvino and the Dominican Nicolo di Pistoia had arrived in South India en route to their mission in China. However, due to the promising prospects of missionary work in India, Nicolo was asked to stay on in South India to care for the small Christian community in the Mylapore region. Unfortunately, his plans came to an abrupt end with his untimely sickness and death. So, Jordan and his companions had stepped in to fill this vacancy, hopeful of reaping an abundant harves...