The marble tomb marks the burial site of the first Superior in
America, Father Felix De Andreis, who brought his community of Vincentian
priests, brothers, and seminarians from Italy in 1816, to the United
States of America, arriving in Saint Louis in 1818. Under his direction
Father Joseph Rosati, C.M. (later the first Bishop of Saint Louis) was sent
with other Vincentian priests, brothers, and seminarians to start the
new seminary as requested by Bishop Louis Du Bourg for the Louisiana
Territory in Perryville, Missouri. This seminary became the first
institution of higher learning west of the Mississippi River.
Father De Andreis continued to reside at Saint Louis, fulfilling the multiple
roll of Vicar-General of Upper Louisiana Territory, parish priest of
Saint Louis, director of the diocesan seminary, and director of the
Vincentian Novitiate, until his untimely death on October 15, 1820.
The cause of his canonization has been introduced in Rome, thus we
call him Venerable Felix De Andreis, C.M. Entombed beneath the wood
floor are other Vincentian priests and clerics and a diocesan priest.
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