BRANCATI di LAURIA. - Of the Conventual Minors, Gian Francesco in the world, Lorenzo in religion, born at Lauria in Lucania on 10 Aug. 1612, died at Rome on 30 Nov. 1693. He taught theology and philosophy in various houses of the Order, and from 1593 at the Sapienza in Rome, where he was also consultor to the Holy Office, prefect of the college of Propaganda Fide, and of the Vatican Library. Innocent XI created him cardinal in 1681.
A most learned man, he left many works; the most fundamental: Commentaria in III et IV librum sententiarum Ioannis Duns Scoti (8 vols., Rome 1653-82), in which the dissertations on the graces gratis datae, on miracles, and especially on “heroic virtue” still render useful service in causes of beatification; to these must be added: Epitome canonum (ibid. 1659); Opuscula acto de oratione christiana eiusque speciebus (ibid. 1685), still useful today, especially for questions concerning the contemplative life (reprint: Montreuil-sur-Mer 1896 [cf. the review by A. Poulain, in Etudes, 1899, II, pp. 267-73]), and for the refutation of Quietist theories; Opuscula tria de Deo (Rome 1687).