Francesco Panigarola
Encyclopedia
Francesco Panigarola was an Italian Franciscan
preacher and controversialist, and Bishop of Asti.
. As a student of law at Pavia
and Bologna
he led a dissipated life; he then entered the Order of Friars Minor at Florence, 15 March 1567. At the age of twenty-three he was sent to Rome, where his sermons attracted much attention.
Pope Pius V
had him sent to Paris where for two years he studied the Church Fathers
and the Councils, Greek and Hebrew. Returning to Italy he preached during thirteen years in the principal towns. He converted many Calvinists in France and Savoy; at Naples there was collected, through one of his sermons, enough money to build a hospital for incurables. He also assisted in the construction of the Italian church of Antwerp, and of the Franciscan buildings at Genoa, Venice, Milan, and Turin.
In 1579 Panigarola attended, as custos
of his province, the general chapter at Paris. Finally in 1586 Pope Sixtus V
appointed him titular Bishop and Coadjutor of Ferrara, whence in 1587 he was transferred to the See of Asti. Shortly after he was sent to France as assistant to the papal legate
, Cardinal Henry Cajetan. When Henry IV of France
had renounced Calvinism, the bishop returned to Asti, where he died.
He also wrote commentaries (Psalms, Jeremias etc.) and many collections of sermons, published in Italian and Latin.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
preacher and controversialist, and Bishop of Asti.
Life
Panigarola was born at MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. As a student of law at Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
and Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
he led a dissipated life; he then entered the Order of Friars Minor at Florence, 15 March 1567. At the age of twenty-three he was sent to Rome, where his sermons attracted much attention.
Pope Pius V
Pope Pius V
Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
had him sent to Paris where for two years he studied the Church Fathers
Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
and the Councils, Greek and Hebrew. Returning to Italy he preached during thirteen years in the principal towns. He converted many Calvinists in France and Savoy; at Naples there was collected, through one of his sermons, enough money to build a hospital for incurables. He also assisted in the construction of the Italian church of Antwerp, and of the Franciscan buildings at Genoa, Venice, Milan, and Turin.
In 1579 Panigarola attended, as custos
Custos (Franciscans)
Custos means a superior or an official in the Franciscan Order. The precise meaning has differed over time, and between the Friars Minor, Conventuals, and Capuchins....
of his province, the general chapter at Paris. Finally in 1586 Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V , born Felice Peretti di Montalto, was Pope from 1585 to 1590.-Early life:The chronicler Andrija Zmajević states that Felice's family originated from modern-day Montenegro...
appointed him titular Bishop and Coadjutor of Ferrara, whence in 1587 he was transferred to the See of Asti. Shortly after he was sent to France as assistant to the papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
, Cardinal Henry Cajetan. When Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
had renounced Calvinism, the bishop returned to Asti, where he died.
Works
Melchiorri (Annales Min. cont. XXIII ad a. 1594, n. 76-81) gives the most complete catalogue of Panigarola's works. The most important are:- "Il Compendio degli Annali ecclesiastici del Padre Cesare Baronio", Rome, 1590; 2nd ed., Venice, 1593, comprises only the first volume of Baronius.
- "B. Petri Apostolorum Principis Gesta ... in rapsodiæ, quam catenam appellant, speciem disposita", Asti, 1591.
- "Lettioni sopra dogmi, dette Calviniche", Venice, 1584. This work, translated into Latin (Milan, 1594), was attacked by Giacomo Picenino in "Apologia per i Riformatori e per la Religione Riformata contro le Invettive di F. Panigarola e P. Segneri ", Coira, 1706.
- "Il Predicatore di F. Francesco Panigarola ... overo Parafrase, comento e discorsi intorno al libro dell' Elocutione di Demetrio Falerco ...", Venice, 1609.
He also wrote commentaries (Psalms, Jeremias etc.) and many collections of sermons, published in Italian and Latin.