Louis Receveur
Encyclopedia
Claude-Francois Joseph Louis Receveur (1757 – 17 February 1788) was a French
Franciscan
priest
, naturalist
and astronomer
who sailed with Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse
.
Receveur was also considered a skilled botanist, geologist
, chemist
, meteorologist, and philologist and has been described as being as close as one could get to being an ecologist in the 18th century.
, to lead an expedition around the world. Receveur was one of two priests on the expedition and was stationed aboard the ship L'Astrolabe
; the other was Jean-André Mongez
.
At some stage during December 1787 or January 1788, the La Perouse expedition arrived at Tutuila
in the Samoan Islands
. Those who made land-fall came into conflict with the local indigenous people. Receveur was gravely injured, receiving what was described as a “violent contusion of the eye”.
six days after the First Fleet
. La Perouse erected a camp on shore and established relations with the British, who sailed around from Sydney Cove
to visit his camp.
However, Receveur never recovered from his injuries and died on 17 February 1788. He was buried at the camp.
Receveur was the first Catholic
priest and the second non-indigenous person to be buried in Australia. His obsequies are considered to have constituted the first Catholic religious ceremony held in Australia.
in Sydney hold a special memorial mass
in February each year to recognise the historical religious significance of Receveur's arrival, death and burial.
Abbe Receveur Place in Little Bay, New South Wales
was named in his honour.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
, naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
and astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
who sailed with Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse
Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
.
Receveur was also considered a skilled botanist, geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
, chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, meteorologist, and philologist and has been described as being as close as one could get to being an ecologist in the 18th century.
Expedition
In 1785, La Perouse was appointed by Louis XVI and his minister of marine, the Marquis de CastriesCharles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, marquis de Castries
Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix de Castries, marquis de Castries, baron des États de Languedoc, comte de Charlus, baron de Castelnau et de Montjouvent, seigneur de Puylaurens et de Lézignan was a French marshal...
, to lead an expedition around the world. Receveur was one of two priests on the expedition and was stationed aboard the ship L'Astrolabe
French ship Astrolabe (1781)
The Astrolabe was a converted fluyt of the French Navy, famous for her travels with Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse.She departed Brest on 1 August 1785 under Paul Antoine Fleuriot de Langle, along with the Boussole under La Pérouse....
; the other was Jean-André Mongez
Jean-André Mongez
Jean-André Mongez was a French priest and mineralogist. He died at Vanikoro, on the La Pérouse expedition.-Life:Mongez was born in Lyon...
.
At some stage during December 1787 or January 1788, the La Perouse expedition arrived at Tutuila
Tutuila
Tutuila is the largest and the main island of American Samoa in the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific located roughly northeast of Brisbane, Australia and over northeast of Fiji. It contains a large, natural harbor,...
in the Samoan Islands
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. Those who made land-fall came into conflict with the local indigenous people. Receveur was gravely injured, receiving what was described as a “violent contusion of the eye”.
Arrival in Australia
The expedition continued to Australia where it arrived at Botany BayBotany Bay
Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, a few kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. The Cooks River and the Georges River are the two major tributaries that flow into the bay...
six days after the First Fleet
First Fleet
The First Fleet is the name given to the eleven ships which sailed from Great Britain on 13 May 1787 with about 1,487 people, including 778 convicts , to establish the first European colony in Australia, in the region which Captain Cook had named New South Wales. The fleet was led by Captain ...
. La Perouse erected a camp on shore and established relations with the British, who sailed around from Sydney Cove
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to visit his camp.
However, Receveur never recovered from his injuries and died on 17 February 1788. He was buried at the camp.
Receveur was the first Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest and the second non-indigenous person to be buried in Australia. His obsequies are considered to have constituted the first Catholic religious ceremony held in Australia.
Modern recognition
Local churches of La PerouseLa Perouse, New South Wales
Lapérouse is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The suburb of Lapérouse is located about 14 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Randwick....
in Sydney hold a special memorial mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in February each year to recognise the historical religious significance of Receveur's arrival, death and burial.
Abbe Receveur Place in Little Bay, New South Wales
Little Bay, New South Wales
Little Bay is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Little Bay is located 14 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Randwick....
was named in his honour.