BONAVENTURA D'AMIENS. - Franciscan missionary, martyr in Languedoc. Born into the Lieurin family, he donned the habit of the Reformed Minors in Rome. In 1624, supported by Urbano VIII and Luigi XIII, then engaged in conflict with the factions and the Calvinists, he went to Languedoc to uphold the faith of his fellow countrymen. In 1626 news reached Propaganda that he had converted the chief of Villafort together with the whole town, as well as other large villages. The following year the Pope granted him extraordinary privileges, commending his mission to the dukes of Montmorency, Vandator, and Portez, and to the bishops of Aquitaine. In 1628 and 1629 his successes continued. In his repeated letters to Propaganda he insisted on returning to Rome for reasons of health; but on 6 June 1629 the duke of Montmorency informed Propaganda itself that the father had “died as a martyr” on Ascension Day, that is, 24 May. The records of Propaganda specify that he was killed by heretics at Privas while hearing the confessions of soldiers. He wrote: Récit véritable de la conversion générale des héritages des villes et villages de St-Paragoire, Pleissan, Puoget, Vindemian, Cornousec, Coronterrail, Ponz-
zan et Barleruc à la foy catholique apostolique et romaine, faict et dressé par le p. B. d'A., ecc. (Avignon, 1629).