ARNALDO (ARNOLDO, RENALDO) da FOLIGNO. — Franciscan. He was mistakenly called “of Corbie.” Contrary to Sbaralea’s opinion (I, 103), it seems certain that Fra’ A. was from Foligno and not French; he must therefore be distinguished from the homonymous selante friar, who, together with the other Spirituals of Provence, was censured by John XXII in 1317 (C. Eubel, Bullarium Francisc., V, Rome 1898, no. 293, p. 132 ff.). He was a relative, secretary, and confessor of the blessed Angela (v.) da Foligno, to whom the fame of his name is linked. He wrote from dictation (rendering into Latin what she dictated in the Umbrian-Folignate vernacular) the autobiography, or Libro delle molteplici Visioni e Consolazioni divine, of the blessed woman (c. 1292). This work, impeccable in its fidelity and historical sincerity, proved—in the blessed woman’s own judgment—inferior to the supernatural reality of the revelations, which could not be translated into human language, but was approved by God. The work, examined by Cardinal Giacomo Colonna (before 1297) and by a commission of eight Franciscan theologians, was found free of censure.
The Franciscan Martyrology calls him “blessed” by popular acclamation. He died at Foligno, more probably toward the end of the summer of 1300 (according to others, on 17 June 1313).