BONCUORI (BUONCUORI, BUONCUORE, sometimes erroneously BOCARDO), SANTE. - Conventual Friar Minor, born at Monte San Pietrangeli (province of Ascoli Piceno), more probably than at Penna S. Giovanni, as others would have it, in the early fifteenth century; he obtained the master's degree in theology at the University of Padua. In 1458 he was elected provincial minister (the 41st) of his Marchigian province, which he governed until 1462. His death must be placed after this date.
He was a faithful disciple and administrator of s. Bernardino da Siena, and an imitator of him in his methods of preaching. He must be distinguished from the b. Sante Brancorsini (d. 1394) and probably also from father master Sante di Aquila (on whom
cf. Arch. Francisc. Hist., 27 [1937], p. 42). Around 1460 he wrote a work, De firma fide, dedicated to Federico, count of Urbino and Montefeltro, and several ascetical booklets (manuscripts in the Biblioteca Estense): Fior novello, life of s. Bernardino da Siena, one of the earliest (1451), valuable for its direct information, since B. attended the Saint's death at Aquila (published in La Verna, 9 [1911-12], p. 396 ff.); El Crucifisso, in 17 chapters (1449); L'ansietà de Jesu composta per le devote figliole de Santa Croce... (Florence 1451); Regulo del ben morire (1453).