Ephrem de Nevers | |
|---|---|
| The First Christian Missionary of Madras | |
| Born | between 1607-1610 Auxerre , France |
| Died | 13 October 1695 (aged between 84–85 and 87–88) Fort St. George, Chennai |
Ephrem de Nevers (between 1607 and 1610 - 13 October 1695) was a native of Nevers, France. He was a Capuchin Franciscan priest and the first Christian missionary in Madras (Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India. De Nevers founded the first Christian mission in Madras on June 8, 1642, and was appointed the first Prefect Apostolic of Madras Capuchin Mission. Initially, it was known under the name the Apostolic Prefecture of Fort St. George. He served for 53 years as a missionary and died in Madras on October 13, 1695.