Denis of the Nativity
Encyclopedia
Blessed Denis of the Nativity, O.C.D. (born Pierre Berthelot; 12 December 1600 – 29 November 1638) was a French
sailor and cartographer for the king of Portugal
, who later became a Discalced Carmelite
missionary
. He was killed by Muslims
in Malay
, and beatified by Pope Leo XIII.
, Normandy, the second son of Pierre Berthelot, a ship's captain and master surgeon, and Fleurie Berthelot (née Morin). His contemporaries described him as "a handsome, stocky man, blond and fair-skinned, an adventuresome and high-spirited person, with an inquisitive and active mind".
Berthelot's first sea voyage was at the age of twelve, and when he was 19 years old, he embarked on a vessel called L'Espérance, bound for the Far East. The ship was captured by a Dutch
vessel in competition for the spice trade. It was at this time that Berthelot made a religious conversion. He managed to escape and sought refuge with the Portuguese in Malacca
.
In service with the Portuguese, Berthelot was knighted for bravery and earned an appointment as pilot-in-chief and cosmographer
to the king of Portugal. He gained some fame as a cartographer, and his map of the archipelago of Sumatra
is still preserved in the British Museum
. Though a career with the Portuguese navy was available to him, he chose to join the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Goa
, taking the name of Brother Denis of the Nativity.
He was ordained on 24 August 1638, and straightaway embarked on a missionary journey to the sultan of Aceh
, accompanying Francisco Sousa de Castro, an ambassador from Portugal. In Aceh, all the members of the mission were trapped and arrested. Refusing to deny their faith, the missionaries were martyred one by one. Brother Denis and his confrère, Brother Redemptus of the Cross
(né Tomás Rodrigues da Cunha), were led to a desolate spot on the seashore, where Redemptus' throat was slit open. Brother Denis, a crucifix in his hands, received a fatal blow from a scimitar
. Only the ambassador, Soza de Castro, was released, his family having provided a large ransom.
on 10 June 1900 by Pope Leo XIII, together with his companion, Blessed Redemptus. Their feast day in the Roman Catholic calendar is November 29.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
sailor and cartographer for the king of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, who later became a Discalced Carmelite
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. He was killed by Muslims
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in Malay
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
, and beatified by Pope Leo XIII.
Life
Pierre Berthelot was born in HonfleurHonfleur
Honfleur is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie...
, Normandy, the second son of Pierre Berthelot, a ship's captain and master surgeon, and Fleurie Berthelot (née Morin). His contemporaries described him as "a handsome, stocky man, blond and fair-skinned, an adventuresome and high-spirited person, with an inquisitive and active mind".
Berthelot's first sea voyage was at the age of twelve, and when he was 19 years old, he embarked on a vessel called L'Espérance, bound for the Far East. The ship was captured by a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
vessel in competition for the spice trade. It was at this time that Berthelot made a religious conversion. He managed to escape and sought refuge with the Portuguese in Malacca
Portuguese Malacca
Portuguese Malacca was the territory of Malacca that, for 130 years , was a Portuguese colony.- History :From the writing of the Portuguese historian Emanuel Godinho de Erédia in the middle of the 16th century, the site of the old city of Malacca was named after the Myrobalans, fruit-bearing trees...
.
In service with the Portuguese, Berthelot was knighted for bravery and earned an appointment as pilot-in-chief and cosmographer
Cosmography
Cosmography is the science that maps the general features of the universe, describing both heaven and Earth...
to the king of Portugal. He gained some fame as a cartographer, and his map of the archipelago of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
is still preserved in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. Though a career with the Portuguese navy was available to him, he chose to join the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, taking the name of Brother Denis of the Nativity.
He was ordained on 24 August 1638, and straightaway embarked on a missionary journey to the sultan of Aceh
Aceh Sultanate
The Sultanate of Aceh, officially the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam was a sultanate centered in the modern area of Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, which was a major regional power in the 16th and 17th centuries, before experiencing a long period of decline...
, accompanying Francisco Sousa de Castro, an ambassador from Portugal. In Aceh, all the members of the mission were trapped and arrested. Refusing to deny their faith, the missionaries were martyred one by one. Brother Denis and his confrère, Brother Redemptus of the Cross
Redemptus of the Cross
Blessed Redemptus of the Cross, O.C.D. was a Portuguese lay brother in the Order of Discalced Carmelites. He was put to death with his confrère Denis of the Nativity while on a mission to Aceh in Sumatra.-Life:Tomás Rodrigues da Cunha was born in Paredes, Portugal on 15 March 1598...
(né Tomás Rodrigues da Cunha), were led to a desolate spot on the seashore, where Redemptus' throat was slit open. Brother Denis, a crucifix in his hands, received a fatal blow from a scimitar
Scimitar
A scimitar is a backsword or sabre with a curved blade, originating in Southwest Asia .The Arabic term saif translates to "sword" in general, but is normally taken to refer to the scimitar type of curved backsword in particular.The curved sword or "scimitar" was widespread throughout the Muslim...
. Only the ambassador, Soza de Castro, was released, his family having provided a large ransom.
Veneration
Denis of the Nativity was beatifiedBeatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
on 10 June 1900 by Pope Leo XIII, together with his companion, Blessed Redemptus. Their feast day in the Roman Catholic calendar is November 29.
External links
- Blessed Denis of the Nativity at the Patron Saints Index
- Blessed Denis and Redemptus, Martyrs from the Discalced Carmelites in Nigeria
- Denis and Redemptus on Carmelnet