ANDREA D'ARCO

ANDREA d'ARCO. - Franciscan, missionary, and ascetical writer, born at Arco in 1597 to the Zanoni family, died at Borgo Valsugana in 1674. He headed the prefecture of the Egyptian mission, where he worked tirelessly to obtain the union with the Roman Church of the Coptic and Greek patriarchates. Elected Custos of the Holy Land in 1639, he remained in office for a highly turbulent six-year term. He was subsequently commissioner of the Holy Land at the Holy See and provincial of the new Trentine province, whose establishment he promoted. Antonio Maria da Vicenza lists 14 of his writings, mostly of an ascetical-mystical character. Worth noting are: Trattato dell'oratione mentale; Avvertimenti per un Maestro di novizi, specialmente francescani; Selva di ss. Padri, divisa in mille concetti.