Adorno, Giovanni Agostino

ADORNO, GIOVANNI AGOSTINO. - Cofounder of the Clerics Regular Minor (v.), born in Genoa in 1551, died in Naples on 29 September 1591. Following the traditions of his noble dogal family, he set out on a diplomatic career, visited many courts of Italy and was part of an embassy to Philip II of Spain. He then abandoned that career and placed himself under the spiritual direction of his fellow citizen Basile Pignatelli, a Theatine. After Pignatelli moved away, A., stopping along the way at Vallombrosa and at Rome, where he received the minor orders, joined him in Naples. There he devoted himself to works of charity and to the assistance of those condemned to death, in the Compagnia dei Bianchi (v.), and was ordained a priest. He came to know Fabrizio and Ascanio (the future St. Francis) Caracciolo. Having withdrawn with the latter to the Camaldolese hermitage of S. Salvatore, he there gave concrete form to the rule of the new congregation. At Rome they obtained from Sixtus V the brief of approval (1 July 1588). In February 1591, having returned to Rome, he obtained from Gregory XIV two further briefs that confirmed the institution, to which the privileges of the Theatines were also granted.

Francesco Tinello