| Dom Antonio | |
| Death Date: | 1695 |
| Religion: | Christianity |
Dom Antonio de Rozario (– 1695) was a Christian missionary from Bengal. He was the first writer of Bangla prose.[1]
Antonio was born on circa 1643 in a jomidar family of Bhushana in the Jessore-Faridpur areas.[1] He was the prince of Bhushsna. His Bengali name could not be discovered.[2]
Antonio was kidnapped by Portuguese pirates in 1663.[1] He was taken to Arakan to sell him as a slave. He was rescued by a Portuguese priest named Manoel de Rozario.[1] Later, he was converted to Christianity and took the name Dom Antonio de Rozario.
Antonio returned to Bhushana in 1666 and started to preach Christianity.[1] He converted his wife, kith and kins and subjects into Christianity. He founded St. Nicholas Tolentino Church and Mission in Koshavanga village.[1] Later, the Church and Mission were transferred to Nagori village of Bhawal Pargana of Dhaka.
Antonio wrote a book titled Brahman Roman Catholic Sambad.[1] The 120 page book contained a religious debate between a Brahmin and a Roman Catholic.[3] The book was translated into Portuguese by Manuel da Assumpção and the translated book was published by Francisco Da Silva from Lisbon in 1743.[4] Later, the main manuscript was collected by Surendranath Sen and he edited the book. The edited book was published by the University of Calcutta in 1937.[5] The book was first Bangla book translated by a foreigner.[2]
Antonio died in 1695.[6]