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BENEDICT VADAKKEKARA REFOCUSING ON MGR ANASTASIUS HARTMANN IN THE LIGHT OF FIVE INEDITED LETTERS The figure, the lifeway and the multifarious accomplishments of the Ser– vant of God Anastasius Hartmann (1803-1866) 1 have been the object of many a close scrutiny and the findings of these investigations have seen the light of day2. His correspondence as well as the epistolary and other documentary sources on him too have already been made accessible to the public 3 • In fact these provide the researchers and students of ecclesiastical history with a mine of information on the various developments in India in the middle of the nineteenth century, thus enabling them to flesh out on various aspects of the history of the Church in India. To all intents Hartmann's was a time when fortuitously the course of Christianity in that subcontinent was traversing agi– tated waters. Seen from this perspective, the discovery and the publication by Fr Isidoro de Villapadierna of a thitherto unknown letter of Mgr Hartmann in 1960 was very significant inasmuch as it cast further light on the protagonist's 1 Anastasius Hartmann, Swiss Capuchin; 1845: apostolic vicar of Patna; 1849: admin– istrator of Bombay; 1854: apostolic vicar of Bombay and administrator of Poona; 1858: re– lieved of all charges in India; 1860: apostolic vicar of Patna. 2 Only a very select list of works is given here: Michele Antonio de S. Luigi Gonzaga, Memoria suite missioni dei Padri Carme!itani Sc!azj de!!a Congregazjone ita!iana ne!!'iso!a di Bombqy, 1850, in Monumenta Anastasiana, I, ed. Adelhelmus Jann a Stans, Luzern 1939, 1121-1151; Antonio Maria Gachet, The life of the FJght &verend Dr. A. Hartmann, O.C, Bishop of Derbe, Prelate Assistant to the Pontifical Throne, Vicar Apostolic of Patna, Calcutta 1868; Adrian Imhof - Adelhelm Jann, Anastasius Hartmann von Hitzkirch, Kt. Luzern, Mitg!ied der schweizerischen Ka– puzjne,provint Bischof von Derbe, Aposto!ischer Vikar von Patna und Bombqy, Thronassistent Sr. Heih'gkeit, Grqfdes romischen Reiches. Bin Leben- und Zeitbild aus dem neunzehnten Jahrhundert, nach Quellen bearbeitet, Luzern 1909; E.R. Hull, Bombqy Missions-History with a special stuc!J of the Pa– droado Question, 2 vols, Bombay 1927-1930; Fulgentius [a Camugnano], Bishop Hartmann, Al– lahabad 2 1966; Walbert Biihlmann, Pionier der Einheit.. Bischof Anastasius Hartmann, Zurich - Miinchen 1966. 3 MonumentaAnastasiana, 5 vols, ed. Adelhelmus Jann a Stans, Luzern 1939-1948.