BARTOLOMEO de Martyribus, Venerable. — Dominican reformer, born in Lisbon in May 1514, where he was baptized in the church of Santa Maria dei Martiri, from which he took his surname De Martyribus. He entered the Dominicans in 1527 and, after completing his studies, devoted himself to teaching for about twenty years. He became Master in Theology in 1551 at Salamanca and served as tutor at the royal court for two years; in 1558 he was appointed Archbishop of Braga. As Primate of Spain, he took part in the last nine sessions of the Council of Trent, distinguishing himself as a frank and energetic advocate of episcopal residence and the disciplinary reform of the clergy. The famous phrase is attributed to him: «Even the most eminent cardinals need a most eminent reform.» He retired in 1582 to private life in the convent of Viana, where he died on 16 July 1590. His cause of beatification was introduced on 11 September 1754.
Writings: *Compendium spiritualis doctrinae ex variis ss. Patrum sententiis* (Lisbon 1582; Italian trans. by A. Alessi, Genoa 1616); *Stimulus pastorum* (Rome 1564; ed. by S. Carlo Borromeo); *Catechismo da doutrina christi* (Lisbon 1562). His *Opera omnia* was edited by M. Inguinbert (Rome 1734–35).