Percoto, Gian-maria

Percoto, Gian-Maria, an Italian missionary, was born at Udine in 1729. A member of the Congregation of the Paulists, he was appointed bishop of Maxula. Charged with the direction of the missions in India, he made numerous proselytes in Pegu and Ava. He translated into Burmese several books of the fathers of the Church, and composed a Latin-Burmese dictionary and grammar. We owe to him the translation into Italian of several Jainas; very curious, on the history of India. The manuscripts are deposited in the library of the Propaganda of Rome. Percoto died at Ava in 1776. See A. Griffini, Vie de Percoto (Udine, 1782, 4to); Lefttes edifiantes et curieuses des missions etrang. vol. 17.