GÉRASIME D. CANGELLARIS
(1890-1925)

Photo (1910) of Gérasime D. Cangellaris (1890-1925)
With his autographic signature in French

The francophone poet Gérasime D. Cangellaris (Memas) was born in Argostoli.  His parents were Demetrio P. Cangelari (1844-1898) and his second wife Rosa D. Assani (1851-1912).  He settled in Egypt at a young age and was educated in Suez at École des Frères in Port Tewfik and later in Alexandria at the Collège Sainte Catherine.  From an early age he showed a special inclination for poetry and published his first works in Alexandria's francophone magazine "Le Lotus" which circulated in 1910 as the organ of the students of the Collège Sainte Catherine and the Académie Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle of whom he had been the Secretary (1907-1908).  Full of patriotic fervour, all of his poetic and literary work is written in the French language "for the benefit of the many" who did not know the Greek language and country, as he mentions.  During his short life he managed to publish two collections of poetry, "L'Assemblée Nationale" (Alexandria 1910) and "Quand l'Aigle se Réveilla ..." (Paris 1914) part of a trilogy which national events and his early death did not allow him to conclude.  From 1917 he published the literary magazine "L'Orient Français" as well.  He was awarded by King George I of the Hellenes the Silver Cross of the Royal Order of the Redeemer for his poetic work.

 

"L'Assemblée Nationale", Alexandria 1910 Poetic Collection by Gérasime D. Cangellaris (1890-1925) "Quand l'Aigle se réveilla ...", Paris 1914 Poetic Collection by Gérasime D. Cangellaris (1890-1925)

 

Alongside his poetry, Gérasime D. Cangellaris was also a talented amateur painter.  Apart from his two collections of poetry which he had himself illustrated, he has left us a number of paintings amongst which is an exceptional miniature portrait of his brother, the prominent barrister Élie D. Cangellaris (1891-1934), painted in 1922.  He passed away in Paris.