[2] Among his penitents was Francesco Cimino, Baron of Caccuri, who aspired to establish a seminary for missionary endeavors targeting Muslims and pagans enslaved in Christendom—an initiative later forsaken for pragmatic reasons and transformed into the objective of redeeming Mt.

[10] Juan's fervor for missionary work in a Muslim region, proposed to the Congregation in Italy, initially faced censure from his superiors.

Noticing the Carmelites of Italy planning missionary endeavors in Palestine, the Pope convinced them to undertake his mission in Safavid Iran instead.

Here, he managed to free Nicolas de Melo from his exile after meeting False Dmitry I who was perceived as sympathetic to Catholics[11] and moved on to Kazan on April 2, 1606.

On July 24, 1607, they departed from Tsaritsyn and, after encountering difficulties in Astrakhan (where Marina Mniszech and Nicolas de Melo was entrapped), entered Safavid realm approximately ten miles north of Baku on September 27, 1607.

He quickly gained the confidence the Shah, who employed him as an interpreter and, in early 1611, dispatched him on a mission to Europe with merchants - Lucas Cornelio, a Greek and Khwaja Shevelin, an Armenian.

[12] He met Teimuraz of Kakheti, bringing him a letter of condelence from Shah on the death of his wife Anna Gurieli[13] and later moved on to Derbend, where the governor proposed a site for a convent.

There, the governor, Ivan Dmitrievich Khvorostinin, suspecting a conspiracy between Abbas and Sigismund III Vasa to invade Muscovy, arrested Fr.

Upon receiving news, Shah instructed a trader named Khoja Murtuz to supply the friars with food and necessities; however, the governor obstructed these items from reaching them in their confinement.

[1] During his absence, he was designated as Prior, having been appointed at the Chapter General in Rome; on May 23, 1614, all the Fathers present in Isfahan rendered him obedience.

He was also called upon to interpret when Abbas I determined the price of the infamous silk consignment on September 27, 1619 regarding Dengiz beg Rumlu, which ultimately contributed significantly to the loss of Hormuz for the Spanish side.

Subsequent communications in 1620 indicate that he was contacted by the Luis de Gama, Portuguese Captain General at Hormuz concerning the tensions between Safavids and Portugal regarding the island.

[1] Back in Rome, certain leaders of the Carmelite Order at that time were evidently critical of the frequent interactions with the Iranian court, viewing them as indicative of an excessively worldly lifestyle.

In response to these concerns, in a letter dated 1619, John Thaddeus countered criticisms by arguing that the directive to avoid interaction with secular figures, particularly the Shah, was contrary to the intentions of the Pope.

He emphasized that the Pontiff’s mission was not only to focus on their own spiritual well-being but to also work for the salvation of all, including schismatics, heretics, and non-believers.

Thaddeus pointed to the Papal Briefs, which encouraged engagement with the Shah, as clear evidence that maintaining a relationship with the king was essential.

He recounted how the Shah himself expressed pleasure in being visited and how Thaddeus had successfully presented religious texts like the Psalms and Gospels, which the monarch received with reverence.

John continued to travel between Shiraz, Isfahan, and Masqat, managing missionary matters, paying debts, and acting as Vicar Provincial Substitute.

After falling ill in Shiraz in 1625, he continued his work and eventually left Isfahan for Europe in 1628, carrying credentials from the Armenians of Iran to discuss unity with the Holy See.

John Thaddeus was proposed as a suitable candidate due to his positive relationship with Shah Abbas and prominent figures from Iran, Armenia, and Georgia, as well as his knowledge of the local languages (he spoke Latin, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Persian, Arabic and Armenian).

[15] Other candidates, including Giovanni Agostino Spinola (also known as Agatangelo di Gesù Maria) and a brother of Cardinal Spada, were also considered.

[5][3][7] The new bishop was assigned jurisdiction over the entire Safavid Empire, including Armenia, Georgia, and Alinja in Nakhchivan, but excluding Assyria and Mesopotamia.

Due to concerns about his age and ensuring continuity after his death, a coadjutor with the right of succession, Timoteo Pérez Vargas from the Calced Carmelites, was appointed as Bishop of Babylon.