' In convertendo Dominus captivitatem': cautiverio y testimonio de misioneros agustinos y carmelitas descalzos en Isfahán y Shiraz (1626-1627)

Abstract

This study reconstructs the captivity of Carmelite and Augustinian missionaries in Persia between 1626 and 1627, beginning with the mistaken arrest and prompt release of the Carmelites, contrasted with the prolonged imprisonment and transfer of the Augustinians to Shiraz, motivated by diverse political and religious causes. It highlights the safeguarding of the relics of the Georgian queen Katevan and the missionaries’ resolute disposition toward martyrdom amid the humiliations endured. The paraphrase of Psalm 125, composed in décimas by Father Leandro, a Carmelite, emerges as a literary and spiritual expression of consolation and resilience. The Augustinians’ eventual release and the dissemination of their testimony in Rome and Portugal provide a multidisciplinary perspective that integrates history, diplomacy, and missionary spirituality.