BERNARDINO DA PICQUIGNY (LAT. A PICONIO)

BERNARDINO da Picquigny (Lat. a Piconio). - Capuchin exegete of the Province of Paris, born at Picquigny in Picardy in 1633, died in Paris on 8 December 1709. He was lecturer in philosophy and theology and superior of the Paris convent. In 1688 he resigned all offices to live in recollection and study until death overtook him suddenly as he was leaving confession. B. left a highly prized little ascetical work (Pratique pour bien vivre et pour bien mourir, ou double préparation à la bonne mort, Paris 1701), an exposition of the Gospels (published posthumously in 1726, edited by Fr Bernardino d’Abbeville), much inferior to the Epistolarum B. Pauli Triplex Expositio (analysis of the text, paraphrase and commentary), Paris 1703, which is B.’s masterpiece. A French abridgement was published by B. himself at the request of friends in 1706, and from this the first Italian version was made, issued at Venice in 1737. Excellent for its time, B.’s commentary on the letters of St Paul has remained in honour to this day, as witness the 27 Latin editions (the latest in Opera omnia, ed. Vivès, Paris 1870 ff., in 5 vols.), the 33 French, and the 11 Italian (the most recent edited by G. Castoldi, 3 vols., Monza 1940 ff.). B. combines clear and objective study of the sacred text with robust piety, so that his work is one of spirituality as well as exegesis.