Jakov Mikalja
Giacomo Micaglia (Latin: Jacobus Micalia) (March 31, 1601 – December 1, 1654) also Jakov Mikalja in Croatian, was an Italian linguist and lexicographer, of Slavic ancestry. He was born in the town of Peschici (Apulia), at that time under the Kingdom of Naples. He said about himself to be "an Italian of Slavic language".
Life
Micaglia was born in Peschici, a small town on the Gargano peninsula that six centuries before (about 970) was a settlement of Croat refugees and that in those years entertained fruitful trade with Venice and the city-states on the Dalmatian coast (like the Republic of Ragusa).
He was the great-uncle of Pietro Giannone (1676–1748), the historian born in Ischitella, few kilometers by Peschici. About it Giannone writes that «Scipio Giannone (his father) had married in Ischitella in 1677 Lucretia Micaglia, daughter of Matteo Micaglia from Peschici and Isabella Sabatello.»
Because of his knowledge of the Croatian language, Micaglia was dispatched to the Republic of Ragusa by the Jesuit order. It was the time of Counter-Reformation and the Catholic Church wished to restore its power in the Balkans as well. For four years (1630–1633) he taught grammar at the Jesuit College in Ragusa (Dubrovnik). There he wrote "Latin grammar for Illyrian students" after Emanuel Alvares (De institutione grammatica pro Illyricis accommodata, 1637).
Jakov
Jakov is a Croatian and Serbian masculine given name, a variant of the biblical name Jacob. It may refer to:
Jakov, Archbishop of Serbs
Jakov (Serbian: Јаков I) was the Archbishop of Serbs from 1286 to 1292. He is venerated as a saint, Saint Jakov.
Information on Jakov is scarce, it is known that he renovated and founded churches, and that he likely transferred the episcopal see from Žiča to the Peć metochion. He had special love for the Studenica, which he provided liturgical books and church accessories. He had special care for Serbian ascetics.
He received his aureola with his saintly purity and Christian love, he was gentle, humble and charitable. The Serbian Orthodox Church venerates him on February 3, in the Church calendar, while February 16, on the Gregorian calendar.
Sources
Podcasts:
