Person

Roberto de Nobili

1577–1656 · 17th century

Roberto de Nobili was an Italian Jesuit missionary who worked at Madurai from 1606. He adopted the dress, diet and customs of a Hindu sannyasi, learned Tamil and Sanskrit, and presented Christianity in Indian terms to win converts from the high castes. His methods caused a long controversy within the Church but were approved by Pope Gregory XV in 1623.

Roberto de Nobili — Image: Grentidez · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Madurai Nayak dynasty

See also

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Roberto de Nobili. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/roberto-de-nobili
MLA: “Roberto de Nobili.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/roberto-de-nobili. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Roberto de Nobili.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/roberto-de-nobili.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Roberto de Nobili’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/roberto-de-nobili (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻