Abstract

MALDAVSKY, Aliocha. Eager for The Indies: Indipetae Letters by European Jesuits, 16^th-18^th Centuries: A Historiographical Essay. Relac. Estud. hist. soc. [online]. 2012, vol.33, n.132, pp.147-181. ISSN 2448-7554.

This article presents a historiographical synthesis of the indipetae letters held in the Archives of the Society of Jesus in Rome. The study of these letters, which were written to the General of the Society of Jesus by Jesuits in Europe -often young ones- eager to be sent to the missions in the Indies (East or West), reveals three main lines of research. First, it allows us to examine the European administration of the missionary vocation at the very seat of St. Ignatius’ order, though without providing a global vision. Second, these personal, stereotyped documents open a window onto the interiorization of Jesuit spirituality and the extent of knowledge of American and Asian realities that existed in European colleges. Finally, together with other sources, it constitutes an interesting approach for analyzing the relation between European society and overseas missions.

Keywords : indipetae; vocation; mission; Jesuits; historiography.

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