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Manuel António Gomes (1868-1933)

Manuel António Gomes  (1868-1933)

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Facts
Birth date
09.12.1868
Death Date
21.12.1933
Age of Death
65
Birth Place
Santiago de Cendufe, Arcos de Valdevez
Death Place
Viana do Castelo
Zodiac Sign
Sagittarius
Fields of Expertise
Science, Energy, Solar
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Manuel António Gomes was a Portuguese Catholic priest, inventor and physicist. He was a very tall man, and was nicknamed Father Himalaya in Portuguese: Padre Himalaya, a name he proudly used frequently. He was born at Santiago de Cendufe, Arcos de Valdevez in 1868 and died at Viana do Castelo in 1933.

Early Life and Education

Manuel António Gomes was born in Cendufe, in the municipality of Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal, as one of seven children in a poor farming family from Minho. In 1880, at the age of 11, he completed his elementary studies at the primary school in Souto, a village near his hometown where he lived with his grandparents. After a break in his studies to work on the family farm, he entered the Seminary of Braga in 1882 at the age of 15. There, he joined the Colégio do Espírito Santo, an institute created to welcome poor students. His family, like his brother Gaspar who also became a priest, destined him for the clerical life due to their inability to afford secondary and higher education.

Rural Influences and Interests

Gomes' rural origins profoundly influenced his thinking and interests. He maintained a lifelong fascination with agricultural crops, soil fertilization, and the selection of plants and cultivars based on soil and climate conditions. His interest in traditional healing and folk medicine further shaped his pursuits. Combining these with a passionate curiosity for the natural sciences, he engaged deeply with empirical observation and the natural world.

The Emergence of "Padre Himalaia"

His tall stature earned him the nickname "Himalaia" from his seminary colleagues, a name he embraced and which became part of his identity. Manuel António Gomes thus went down in history as "Padre Himalaia" or "Padre Himalaya." During his time at the Braga Seminary, he developed a keen interest in technological progress and innovation, particularly in agriculture and the physical sciences. The seminary library, which boasted around 7,000 volumes, became his gateway to deepening his knowledge far beyond the standard curriculum.

Manuel António Gomes (Padre Himalaya)

The Quest for Solar Energy

While at the seminary, Gomes noted the association between thunderstorms and soil fertility, theorizing that lightning fixed atmospheric nitrogen, a process he believed could be replicated using concentrated solar energy. From 1889 onwards, he sought a method to naturally increase soil fertility by capturing atmospheric nitrogen. He aimed to develop a device capable of transforming free nitrogen into ammonia nitrogenates, crucial for agriculture and explosive production, positioning him at the forefront of chemical engineering research of his time.

Padre Himalaya na National Geographic

Early Career and Technological Experiments

After completing his theological course on June 2, 1890, Gomes began teaching at Colégio da Formiga in Ermesinde while continuing his solar investigations. He was ordained a priest on July 26, 1891. The idea of extracting nitrogen compounds from the air matured, driving his commitment to using solar energy for agricultural benefit. In 1892, he sought employment in Coimbra, eventually moving to Vila Real and Fânzeres, where he worked as a tutor for the Araújo Rangel family.

Travels and Further Studies

Between 1892 and 1897, Gomes maintained an intermittent relationship with the Araújo Rangel family, focusing on his solar energy studies and embarking on educational trips. He traveled to Africa and Europe, contracting malaria and visiting notable spas like Bad Wörishofen in Germany, where he met Sebastian Kneipp, a proponent of hydrotherapy and phytotherapy. This encounter deepened Gomes' interest in popular therapies and medicinal plants.

Botanical and Medical Endeavors

From 1893 onwards, Gomes embarked on excursions throughout Portugal, collecting flora specimens and collaborating with Júlio Henriques, director of the Coimbra Botanical Garden. He assisted in translating Ferdinand von Mueller's manual on useful plants and helped organize research into Portuguese flora, particularly medicinal plants. Gomes became a renowned defender of Kneippism in Portugal, advocating for hydrotherapy, phytotherapy, and a vegetarian diet.

Innovations and Challenges

In 1898, Gomes began teaching at Colégio da Visitação in Porto, continuing his studies in natural sciences, particularly medical botany. He prepared elixirs, ointments, and herbal teas for distribution among friends and patients. His involvement in the expansion of the college facilities led to a connection with the Massarelos Louça Factory and advanced metal construction technologies, which he later applied in his solar furnace projects.

Pursuit of Solar Energy

Encouraged by Professor Ferreira da Silva and the Archbishop of Braga, Gomes left for Paris in 1898 to continue his studies and gather resources for building his solar furnace. In Paris, he interacted with leading scientists, attending lectures by renowned professors and formalizing patents with the help of engineer Jacques Ainé. Gomes' primary motivation remained the oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen for fertilizer production.

Breakthrough and Recognition

In 1900, Gomes built his first solar furnace prototype in Neuilly-sur-Seine, later moving it to Sorède for better sunlight. Despite initial challenges, the prototype reached encouraging temperatures, attracting investor interest. In 1901, he formed a company with the Countess of Penha Longa to explore solar heat applications in industry. Returning to Portugal, he demonstrated his solar furnace to King Carlos I, despite facing setbacks and skepticism.

International Acclaim at the 1904 World's Fair

The pinnacle of Gomes' achievements came at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, where his pyreliophore became a major attraction. Reaching temperatures of 3,800°C, the device won the Grand Prize, gold and silver medals, and worldwide recognition. Gomes became a celebrated figure, invited to lecture and collaborate with North American institutions. However, without funds to secure the equipment, the prototype was eventually lost.

Later Ventures and Return to Portugal

Gomes' interest in renewable energy continued, proposing innovative ideas like photocells and developing smokeless gunpowder called himalaite. Returning to Portugal in 1906, he conducted successful tests of himalaite, attracting royal and ministerial attention. Despite several patents and a focus on agrarian issues, his inventions did not achieve widespread commercial success.

Advocacy for Renewable Energy

In 1908, Gomes became a member of the Portuguese Academy of Sciences, advocating for renewable energy solutions and land use planning. He established the Himalayite Company, promoting explosives for various industrial purposes, although the company faced operational challenges. Gomes continued to participate in public debates and presented papers on diverse topics, including agriculture, energy policy, and seismology.

Final Years and Legacy

In 1920, Gomes traveled to the United States to study irrigation and hydroelectric dams, collaborating with notable figures like George Washington Carver. After returning to Portugal, he withdrew from public life, focusing on naturopathy and organizing agricultural activities. Financial difficulties led him to Buenos Aires in 1927, where he conducted botanical studies before falling ill.

Stamp: Padre Himalaya (Manuel António Gomes), Scientist (Portugal(Figures  of History & Culture (XIII)) Mi:PT 4395,Sn:PT 4031,Yt:PT 4379,Sg:PT  4619,AFA:PT 4431,WAD:PT053.18,Afi:PT 4994

Manuel António Gomes, "Padre Himalaia," died on December 21, 1933, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. His ecological philosophy and contributions to renewable energy, natural medicines, and dietary advocacy were ahead of his time. He left behind a legacy of innovation and a vision for a sustainable future that continues to inspire contemporary environmentalism and scientific research.

More facts

Gender: Male
Religion: Catholic
Father’s Name: António Gomes
Mother’s Name: Maria da Piedade Cardoso
Citizen Of: Portugal
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