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We, the undersigned, kindly request you to issue
an Indian postal stamp on May 31, 2006, to commemorate the 250th Birth
Anniversary of Abbe Faria, a Goan hypnotist, priest and
revolutionary.
Jose Custodio de Faria -- world renowned as 'Abbe Faria' -- was born
on May 31, 1756, in the village of Candolim, Goa, India.
In 1771, Abbe Faria left for Portugal where he began studying for the
priesthood. He was ordained in Rome and at age 24, earned a
doctorate in theology. He practiced hypnotism in Portugal and
France, and was one of the pioneers of the scientific study of
hypnotism. Unlike Franz Anton Mesmer -- who claimed that hypnosis
was mediated by "animal magnetism" -- Faria understood that it worked
purely by the power of suggestion.
In 1789, Abbe Faria participated in the French Revolution. He
was arrested for instigating public unrest and sentenced to solitary
confinement in the infamous prison at Chateau d'If. His
years in solitary confinement, however, served well to foment the
fundamentals for his later scientific work, "The Lucid Cause of
Sleep", which was published in 1819 and remains one of the leading
reference books for researchers and academicians.
Abbe Faria died in France on September 30, 1819. His life of
percipient wisdom and heroics in the face of compounding adversities,
inspired Alexander Dumas to immortalize him in his epic work, "The
Count of Monte Cristo".
Over the years, lesser mortals have made their way to public pedestals
and into the philatelic galaxy. And while Europe has
acknowledged Abbe Faria's distinct contribution to science with the
accolade, 'The Father of Hypnotism', India has yet to host him
in her cosmos of luminaries.
In the compelling light of this glaring omission of homage to one of
India's
truly illustrious son, Abbe Faria, we request and kindly urge you to
approve the issuance of an Indian postal stamp to commemorate his
250th Birth Anniversary on May 31, 2006.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
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