Anastasius Hartmann


Anastasius Hartmann, born as Joseph Alois Hartmann, was a Capuchin, a missionary in India, Titular Bishop and Vicar Apostolic of Patna and Bombay.

Early life & Education

He was born in Altwis in 1803, the son of peasants Joseph Hartmann and his wife Barbara Nietlisbach and baptised on the day after his birth in the local parish.
He attended school in Solothurn and entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Order on 17 September 1821.

Priesthood

In 1822 he passed his vows and on September 24, 1825 he was ordained. Until 1830 he worked as a chaplain in Luzern, then as novice master and teacher of theology at Fribourg. In 1839, they sent him as a philosophy teacher to Solothurn. He felt a strong desire to go to overseas missions, which he reached only after much hesitation his superiors.
In September 1841 Hartmann left Switzerland and moved to Rome on foot. In 1843 he was chosen for the Mission to Agra in India. After five months he headed the mission station in the town of Gwalior, in what is now Madhya Pradesh.

Episcopate

In September 1845, Pope Gregory XVI. made him the Vicar Apostolic of Patna and Titular Bishop of Derbe, with episcopal ordination at Akbar's Church on 15 March 1846 by the local Apostolic Vicar Alessandro Borghi, Hartmanns bishopric consisted of seven parishes that were supervised by four priests. He worked with great zeal and under difficult conditions.
On July 9, 1854 Anastasius Hartmann became Vicar Apostolic of Bombay.

Death

Bishop Anastasius Hartmann died on 24 April 1866 in his residence at St. Joseph's Orphanage at Kurji,, from cholera. In life he had a reputation of holiness. He was buried in the Cathedral of Patna.

As Venerable

Bishop Anastasius Hartmann was venerated as " Venerable " on 21 December 1998 by Pope John Paul II.