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