Nunes, Barreto

(Belchiot'), a Portuguese Roman Catholic missionary, was born in Oporto in 1520. Having entered the Order of the Jesuits in 1543, he departed, although still young, for India. St. Francis Xavier received him at Goa. His merit was recognized, and soon he became superior of the residence of Bacaim. A little later he was nominated provincial of his order to India; this was for him the assured pledge of new labors and new sufferings. He went successively to Malacca and Japai, then returned to the coast of Coromandel. Assisted by forty Portuguese, he went to the sovereign of Bungo, and resolutely undertook to convert a celebrated Nestorian bishop known by the name of. Mar Joseph, who filled the mountains of Malabar with his doctrine. It is affirmed that his efforts were crowned with success. There are few missionaries who have thrown so much light over the East as unes. He died August 10, 1571. The most of his letters remain in manuscript, with the exception of the Carta escrita en 1554, on his arrival in India, a letter in which he reports the circumstances which accompanied the death of St. Francis Xavier, as well as his funeral ceremonies. The letters of Nunes Barreto, translated into all the languages of Europe, still circulate in manuscript, and singularly enough contribute to shed much light on matters in the extreme East. See references in the following article.