Armido Gasparini

Armido Gasparini , MCCI (born August 19, 1913 in Lizzano , Italy ; † October 21, 2004 in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia ) was a Catholic religious, priest and missionary bishop . He was emeritus Vicar Apostolic of Awasa (southern Ethiopia), where Pope Paul VI. In 1973.

Life

At the age of 17 he entered the order of Comboni Missionaries in 1930 . He studied theology at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome and was ordained a priest in 1938. He was then sent to Gonder (Ethiopia), where he was arrested during the war. After his later posting to Asmara , he founded the “Comboni College” there, which he himself headed for over ten years. From 1959 to 1973 Bishop Gasparini lived in Rome, where he worked as Procurator General of the Comboni Missionaries at the Holy See until his appointment as head of the Comboni Missions in Ethiopia .

In 1979 Gasparini became titular bishop of Magnetum .

Gasparini had a talent for languages ​​(he spoke around ten European and African languages) and was primarily characterized by an entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to work. He maintained numerous contacts with authorities, benefactors and organizations and devoted all his energy to the mission. He founded the women's order of the "Servants of the Church", to which he devoted himself especially in the last few years after the Pope had accepted his resignation, which he had submitted at the age of 80.

Bishop Gasparini was buried in Awasa Cathedral on October 23 after a memorial service.

Web links

• Entry on Armido Gasparini on catholic-hierarchy.org
• Entry to Armido Gasparini on medals online (with photo)