BLESSED GABRIELE M ALLEGRA
B.Gabriele M. Allegra
0126 Pastors Feast
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Blessed Gabriele Allegra was born in San Giovanni La Punta in the province of Catania on December 26, 1907. At baptism, he was given the name of Giovanni Stefano. He was educated in a Christian manner, and at a very young age he entered the Order of Friars Minor, taking the name of Gabriele Maria. He was sent to Rome in order to complete his theological studies. Coming in touch with friars returning from China, he also developed his missionary vocation. On the day of his priestly ordination, he promised the Immaculate Virgin, to whose immaculate heart he was devoted, to translate the Scriptures into Chinese, in order to give the noble Chinese people the possibility to read the Gospel in their native language. For this reason, he studied the biblical languages and other important European languages; and in 1931 he left for China. Gifted with lively intelligence and an extraordinary memory, he learned Mandarin Chinese and began translating the Bible soon.
In 1945 he founded the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Peiping (now Beijing). When it became impossible to stay there, he moved the institute to Hong Kong. With his collaborators, he translated the entire Bible with a huge commentary, divided in eleven volumes, and a Biblical Dictionary, all in Chinese. He combined studies with an intense life of prayer, tirelessly preaching and assisting to lepers, in the midst of whom he loved to spend his periods of reSt He died on January 26, 1976 and at his death he wanted the canticle of the Blessed Virgin to be sung, as he used to do at the conclusion of the translation of each sacred book of the Bible.