CAPPONI, Serapino. – Dominican theologian, b. at Porretta in 1536. He entered the Dominican Order at Bologna on 25 Oct. 1552, taking the name Annibale. He taught philosophy in the convents of Finario, Modiano, and Faenza, theology at Reggio, and metaphysics at the General Studium of Bologna. In 1583 he transferred to the Congregation of the Abruzzi, teaching at Rieti and Aquila. Later he became regent at Ferrara. He spent 25 years in Venice, engaged in the printing of his works. Because of the anti-papal stance of the Venetian Republic, he returned in 1606 to Bologna, where, after teaching for two years with the Carthusians, he lived and died in a reputation for holiness on 2 Jan. 1614. His tomb is in a place of honor in the basilica of S. Domenico.
In addition to teaching, he devoted himself zealously and fruitfully to preaching. A prolific author, he left the *Elucidationes formales in Summam theologicam s. Thomae de Aquino*, 5 vols. fol. (Venice 1588 and 1596); the 1612 ed., in 6 vols., bears the title *Summa totius theologiae s. Thomae de Aquino cum elucidationibus formalibus* and contains additions taken from Gaetano, Iavelli, Tocco, etc. Other editions appeared at Padua in 1698 and, in 10 vols., at Rome in 1773. In vol. I of the *Elucidationes*, C. prefixed a *De altitudine doctrinae thomisticae proloquium omni veritate innixum*. Other works: *Tata theologia s. Thomae Aquinatis in compendium redacta* (ibid. 1597); *Compendium theologicae veritatis b. Alberti Magni* (i.e., by Hugh Ripelin) *cum scholiis utilissimis* (ibid. 1588 and 1590); *Sacerdos in aeternum* (explanations of the Holy Mass, ceremonies, vestments, etc. [ibid. 1588, Rome 1729]). An *Explanatio totius fidei christianae* and *Observationes super praedicabilia* and other Aristotelian books received the license for printing from Fr. I. M. Beccaria, Master General of the Dominicans, but were never published.
For exegesis, besides manuscript commentaries on Mark and Luke, C. printed the *Veritates aureae super totam legem veterem* (Gen., Ex., Lev., Num., Deut. [Venice 1590]); commentaries on Matthew (ibid. 1602) and John (ibid. 1604), while the commentary on the Psalms appeared posthumously (Bologna 1692 and 1736–45). As an exegete, C. sought and explained the literal and spiritual sense of Sacred Scripture and presented doctrine in the form of conclusions, based on extensive and not superficial research, with interwoven discussions on matters of faith and Christian life. His exegetical works were esteemed mines of information and instruction in his time.