Giuseppe Comandi

Giuseppe Comandi, 1899

Giuseppe Comandi (born May 18, 1844 in Montalcino , † November 29, 1905 in Chexbres in Switzerland) was a Waldensian preacher and philanthropist, founder of the Waldensian Church in Siena and the Comandi Institute in Florence . He became known through the publication of several articles in the Brosamen by Franz Eugen Schlachter and through the collaboration of Anna von Weling in Florence. Schlachter not only reported on Comandi's work in the crumbs , but also gave a pamphlet called Dr. Comandi's love work in Italy .

Life

Born in Montalcino into a family of landowners, he completed a degree in political science and economics in Pisa in 1865 . Here he met Enrico Mayer, a pedagogue of German origin. On April 30, 1866, he married Caroline the daughter of Henry Mayer, despite the reservations of their families. But his wife died with their daughter in childbirth. Comandi returned to his homeland, Montalcino, in despair, although the hostility of the family continued, which would not tolerate his connection with Protestant circles and disinherited him.

His father continued to support him. The Protestant Paul Geymonat , professor at the Waldensian Theological Faculty of Florence , was an invaluable help to Comandi. Through him, he survived the deep spiritual crisis that led to his conversion in 1867 . He attended the theological faculty of Florence from 1870 to 1873. After completing his studies, he joined the Waldensian Church, devoted himself to evangelism and diakonia , especially orphan work.

Giuseppe Comandi started an orphan work in Florence in 1873. He took orphans from the age of 3 on free of charge. He worked completely in trust in God - similar to Georg Müller in Bristol - and had placed the spiritual concerns for the children in the foreground. He wanted to "connect the children with the Savior". The collaboration with Anna von Weling, this leading lady of the sanctification movement, was very good. After her death he said: “We mainly cry with the children who have lost a true mother in Fräulein von Weling… Yes, this unexpected death saddened us deeply and shows us how deeply we loved this friend. She also worked with us for a year in Florence, where she made loyal friends and everyone would have wished her return ... "

Comandi was a popular preacher. His sermons were shaped by Swiss pietism , and he was familiar with the controversies that existed between the various denominations. He founded the Waldensian Church in Siena and opened a school next to it in 1888. In 1883 the first services were held and in 1886 the first pastor was ordained.

Through Mayer, Comandi came into contact with the educational world and was interested in educational and philanthropic initiatives in Europe . In 1876 he opened the evangelical kindergarten, then the “Asylum Comandi”, the largest Tuscan evangelical initiative, in Via Arezzo. He defined the idea of the ecclesiastical institution as free from constraints and supported exclusively by donations. Shortly after he married Cecilie Paroz in 1891, a daughter of the Swiss educator Jules Paroz , he developed health problems. Comandi died in Chexbres on November 29, 1905 during a stay in Switzerland .

Publications

Inni e cantici per l'Asilo professionale evangelico di Firenze , Florence, Claudiana 1892

literature

Franz Eugen Schlachter : Dr. Comandi`s love work in Italy in crumbs from Mr. Tisch Bern
Franz Eugen Schlachter: Dr. Comandi's love work in Italy. Brochure, 46 pages, in the Expedition of the Crumbs

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Comandi, Giuseppe
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Italian Waldensian
DATE OF BIRTH	May 18, 1844
PLACE OF BIRTH	Montalcino
DATE OF DEATH	November 29, 1905
Place of death	Chexbres