Gavazzi, ALESSANDRO

Gavazzi, ALESSANDRO, a popular Italian preacher and reformer, was born at Bologna in 1809. He became a monk of the Barnabite order, and was appointed professor of Rhetoric at Naples, where he speedily acquired great reputation as an orator. On the accession of Pius IX. to the papal chair, Gavazzi was one of the foremost supporters of the liberal policy that inaugurated that pontiff's reign; and having repaired to Rome, he devoted himself to the diffusion of political enlightenment and patriotic aspirations among the masses of the Roman population. The pope sanctioned his political labours, and appointed him almoner of a body of 16,000 Roman troops. On the establishment of the republic at Rome, he was appointed almoner-in-chief to the national army. Under his superintendence, efficient military hospitals were organised. Rome having fallen, Gavazzi escaped to England, where he delivered addresses and lectures. He separated from the Catholic Church, and was for the rest of his life a strenuously anti-papal advocate. From Scotland the Italian orator proceeded to the United States, where he was rather coldly received; and when he went to Canada his public appearances, on more than one occasion, nearly caused a riot. Gavazzi was present with Garibaldi at Palermo during the expedition of 1860. He again visited London in 1870; and after that repeatedly visited England and Scotland, preaching and lecturing in aid of the (Protestant) Italian Free Church (Libera Chiesa), of which he was a prominent leader. He died 9th January 1889.