El P. Juan Tadeo de San Eliseo, OCD, primer obispo de Isfahan (Persia)

Abstract

Father John Thaddeus of Saint Eliseus,OCD (1574-1633), who had left for Persia on July 6, 1604 on an apostolic mission from Pope Clement VIII, returned to Rome in 1629 to inform the Congregation of Propaganda Fide and Pope Urban VIII about the Discalced Carmelite mission in Persia and the affairs of the Armenians. During his time in Persia, he established various ties with the Augustinian friars, who had been present in the Safavid court since 1602. Upon his return, the Papacy and the Propaganda Fide had already observed the need for a Latin bishop in that court to attend to the apostolic and conversion needs and to achieve the union of the Armenians. After many doubts, deliberations, and proposals, in 1632 Father John Tadeo was elected bishop of Isfahan, the first of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. Unfortunately, he died in Lleida on September 5, 1633 when he was going to take possession of his Persian see.