Benedetto Justiniani

Benedetto Justiniani

(GIUSTINIANI).

Theological and Biblical writer, born at Genoa, about the year 1550; died at Rome, 19 December, 1622. He entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus, at Rome, in 1579. For a while he taught rhetoric in the Roman College, and next theology at Toulouse, Messina, and Rome. For upwards of twenty years he was the head of the Roman College and regens of the Sacred Poenitentiaria. He filled also the office of chief preacher to the pope. Clement VIII appointed him as theologian to the celebrated Cardinal Cajetan, during the latter's legation in Poland. He is the author of two valuable Scriptural works: "In omnes B. Pauli Epistolas explanationes" (2 vols., Lyons, 1612 and 1613); and "In omnes Catholicas Epistolas explanationes" (Lyons, 1621). In these writings he first gives a paraphrase of the text, and then explains it by means of a commentary. Of his other published works, the "Apologia pro libertate ecclesiastica ad Gallo-Francos" is the best-known. His folio treatise "De Gratia" was not printed, on account of the pope's general order at the time prohibiting the publication of writings on that difficult topic. Among his manuscript opuscules may be mentioned the works: "De Natura brevis disputatio"; "De Sacramentis"; "De Poenitentia"; "De Confessario". His canonical work entitled "De legitima Romani Pontificis electione libri sex" exists only in manuscript. This is also the case with his "Epistola ad Franciscum Brandinum super aliquibus propositionibus philosophicis", and with various volumes of his sermons.

R. SIMON, Histoire critique des principaux commentateurs du N. T. (Rotterdam, 1693); ELLIES DUPIN, Bibliothèque des auteurs ecclésiastiques, seventeenth century, part I (Paris, 1708); DE BACKER, Bibliothèque des écrivains de la compagnie de Jésus, 3rd series (Liège, 1856).

FRANCIS E. GIGOT