COMBEFIS
152
COM GALL
of the latter since their expulsion (1821). There is a
missionary on the northern coast and at Comayagua
a Salesian Father. The wealthier classes of the dio-
cese, with very few exceptions, are indifferent to reli-
gion. There are no parochial schools, as the people
of the pueblos are unable to support them, after pay-
ing taxes for the public schools ; moreover the clergy
are unable to conduct them, being obliged at all times
to move about from one small town to another and
among the wirlely scattered villages and the moun-
tains. (See GUATEMAL.V.)
Werner, Orbis Itrrarum Catholicua (Freiburs, 1890 1; Stheit, Kttlholischi-r Mtssionsntlas (Steyl, 1907); The Slalcs- man's Year-Book (London, 1907).
Feliciano Herrera.
Combefis, FnAXfois, patrologist, b. November, 1605, at Marmande in Guyerme; d. at Paris, 2.3 March, 1679. He made his preliminary studies in the Jesuit College at Bordeaux, and joined the Dominican Order in 1624. After finishing his theological course, he be- came professor of theology, and tauglit in several houses of his order. In 1640 he was transferred to Paris where the opportunities for research afforded by the libraries led him to abandon teaching and to under- take the publication of patristic texts. He published successively the works of Amphilochius of Iconium, of Methodius of Patara, and of Andreas of Crete, to- gether with some hitherto unedited writings of St. John Chrysostom. In 1648 appeared his "Novum .\uctarium Graeco-Latins Bibliothecae Patrum" in two parts, exegetical and historico-dogmatic. The "Historia haeresis monothelitarum sanctseque in eam se.xtse synodi actorum vindicis", which formed part of the historical section of this work, met with much opposition in Rome, principally because it was at variance -n-ith the opinions of Bellarmine and Bar- onius. The character of the work in which Combefis was engaged met so thoroughly the approval of the French clergj' that in an assembly of the French bishops held in Paris, 16.55, an annual subsidy was voted to enable him to carrj' on his publications, the sum voted being subsequently doubled. This gener- ous action produced the most fruitful results, and the number of his publications increased every year. In 1656 he edited St. John Chrj'sostom's "De edu- candis Liberis", in 1660 a collection of Acts of the martyrs. In 1662 there appeared the " Bibliotheca Patrum Concionatoria", or "Preachers' Library of the Fathers", a rich and comprehensive work, pre- pared in the most painstaking manner from all the available manuscripts, and containing a short his- torical account of all the authors whose names ap- peared in the work. Another important work, " Auc- tarium Novis.^imum Bibliothecoe Patrum", appeared at Paris in 1672. The three following years saw many publications from the pen of Combefis. In 1674 appeared "Ecclesiastes Gracus, i. e. illustrium Graecorum Patrum ac oratorum digest! sermones ac tractatus", etc. In 1675 appeared "Theodoti Ancy- rani adv. Nestorium liber et S. Germani patriarchte Constantinop. in S. Mariae Dormitionem et Transla- tionem oratio historica", and in the same year an edition of the works of Maximus Confessor in two vol- umes with a Latin translation. A third volume of the works of Maximus Confessor was ready when Combefis died. Perhaj^s the most important of the w^orks of Combefis is his edition of St. Basil in two volumes, "Basilius magnus ex integro recensitus, textus ex fide optimorum codicum ubique castigatus, auctus, illustratus, baud incerta quandoque conjec- turii emcndatus. Versiones recognita; ", etc. (Paris, 1679). This is a work of the highest merit and shows the critical .skill of Combefis at its liost, though later surpas.sed by the famous Maurist edition (Paris, 1721-30). Besides these and scxcrul other critical editions of works of the Fathers, there are in exist- ence some polemical works of Combefis which have
little value for the present time. Though known to
all the learned men of his time, and widely celebrated
even in his lifetime for his great learning, Combefis
always remained a mild and obedient monk.
Qtjetif-Echard. Script. Ord. Freed., II, 678 sq.; Peratilt, Recueil des rloges des hommes ilht.stres du 17^ siecle; Dupin, Bibliotheca, XIII, 99; Nicebon, .T/emoir«i, XI, 1859; Ittig, De bibliothecis et catenis Patrum (Leipzig, 1707), 145 sq.
Patrick J. Healy.
Comboni, Daniel, missionary, b. 15 March, 1831, in Limone San Giovanni near Brescia. Italy; d. 10 Oct., 1881, at Ivhartoum. Educated in Mazza's Institute, Verona, he learned, in addition to theology, several languages and medicine. Ordained priest in 1854, he was sent (1857) by Don Mazza to Central Africa, but returned (1859) because of ill health. After teaching in Mazza's Institute from 1861-64 he published "Pi- ano per la rigenerazione dell' Africa" (Turin, 1864) and visited France, Spain, England, Germany, and Austria to collect fimds. In Verona Comboni estab- lished (1867) his Istiluto ilcUe Misaiotti per la Nigrizia to educate priests and brothers for the missions, and the Istituto dflle Pie Miidri to supply female help; he also opened similar institutions in Cairo, Egypt, to ac- climatize missionaries for the fever-stricken regions of Central Africa. Appointed (1872) Pro-vicar Apos- tolic of Central Africa (vicariate since 1846), embrac- ing Nubia, Egvptian Sudan, and the territory south to the Lakes (with nearly 100,000,000 inhabitants) Com- boni began his great work with only two missions, El- Obeid (Kordofan) and Khartoum. Others rapidly followed: Berber, Delen, Malbes (near El-Obeid). In 1877 Comboni was made Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa and titular Bishop of Claudiopolis. His death was pronounced a "great loss" by Leo XIII.
Comboni aroused the interest of Europe in negro missions, and journeyed five times from Africa to Eu- rope to secure missionaries and funds. By means of his intimate acquaintance with the khedive and the Governor of the Sudan he effectually checked the slave-trade. Besides his " Quadro storico delle Sco- perte .Africane" (1880) he contributed material for scientific works, notably on geography. Mitterrutz- ner's works on the Dinka and Bari dialects (Brixen, 1866, 1867) are based on Comboni's manuscripts. He was a "language genius" (Cardinal Simeoni), master of six European tongues, of Arabic, and the dialects of the Dinka, Bari, and Nuba negroes. His "Istituto", since 1.S94 the Congregation of the Sons of the vSacred Heart, continues his work in Central Africa. Mgr. Geyer (appointed vicar Apostolic in 1903) was assisted in 1907 by 29 priests, 23 brothers, and 35 sisters minis- tering to 11 churches, 9 schools, and 6 orphanages.
Comboni's account of his worlc is in Annalen d. Verbreitung d. Glaubens (Munich, 1878). XLVI, 94-114, 233-256; Geyer, Danifl Coinboni, eine Lebetisskizze in Annalen, etc. (Munich, 1882), L, 172-238; Kalholische Missionen (Freiburg. 1882), 159-162; Geyer, Khartoum, ein Zentrum d. KuUur in Inner- Africa (Vienna, 1907).
John M. Lenhart. Comforter. See P.^.raclete.
Comgall, Saint, founder and abbot of the great Irish monastery at Bangor, flourished in the sixth cen- tury. The year of his liirth is uncertam, but accord- ing to the testimony of the Irish innals it must be placed between 510 and 520; his death is said to have occurred in 602 (" Annals of Tighernach ' ' and " Chron- icon Scotorum"), or 597 (Annals of Innisfallen). He was born in Dalaradia in lister near the place now known as Magheramorne m the present County An- trim. He seems to have served first as a soldier, and on his release from milit:iry service he is said to have studied at Clonard with St. I'iniiian. and at Clonmac- noi.se with >St. Ciaran, who died in 549. We next find him in Ulster in an island on Lough Erne accom- panied by a few friends following a very severe form
