CASTALDO-PESCARA, GIAMBATTISTA. — Theatine historiographer. He made his profession at S. Paolo Maggiore in Napoli, his native city, on 29 May 1586, and died there at the age of 87 on 30 March 1653. He was highly versed in ecclesiastical sciences and an acclaimed orator.
Among other ascetical and hagiographical works, he wrote: Vita del b. Gaetano Tiene... (Modena 1612, Roma 1616, Venezia 1627); Della Vita del p. d. Andrea Avellino... (Napoli 1613, Vicenza 1627, Napoli 1733); Vita del x.mo pontefice Paolo IV... (Roma 1615, Modena 1618), sober and objective; De beati Caietani Thienaei cum b. Ignatio Loiola consuetudine... (Vicenza 1618).
BIBL.: J. Silos, Historiarum Clericar. Regular., III, Roma 1655, p. 288; A. F. Vezzosi, Scrittori dei Chierici Regolari..., I, Roma 1780, pp. 244–56. Francesco Andreu