Benfatti, Giacomo, Blessed (BENFATTI, GIACOMO, BEATO) - Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 775

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

BENFATTI, GIACOMO, Blessed. - Bishop of Mantova, born there about the middle of the 13th century and died there on 19 Nov. 1338; having become a Dominican, he had as teacher and friend Nicolò Boccasini, later general of the Dominicans and Pope Benedetto XI. Elected by the clergy and people of Mantova, Giovanni XXII confirmed him as bishop of that diocese, which he governed for ten years, admired and venerated for his learning and holiness. Buried in the church of his Order, he was immediately acclaimed a saint, but after some years he was forgotten. In 1483, when his tomb had to be moved because of restoration work, the

body was found incorrupt. This attracted a large number of people and revived the dormant cult. After various translations, in 1813 it was placed in the cathedral of Mantova, where it is still venerated. His cult was approved by Pio IX on 22 Sept. 1859.

BIBL.: G. M. Pib, Delle Vite degli huomini illustri di s. Domenico, Bologna 1620, cols. 321-22; A. Touron, Histoire des Hommes ill., II, Parigi 1745; A. Sordi, Memoria storico-critica sul b. Jacopo dei B., vescovo di Mantova, Mantova 1847; Sacra Rituum Congr. Mantuana, Roma 1859; D. Mortier, Histoire des maîtres généraux de l'ordre des Frères Prêcheurs, IV, Parigi 1909, pp. 567-68; I. Taurisano, Catalogus Hagiographicus O. P., Roma 1918, p. 28.

Alfonso D'Amato