COLOMBINI, GIOVANNI, blessed. — Sienese, born in 1304; a wealthy merchant and influential citizen, married to Biagia Cerretani (1342); invited by her to read the life of s. Maria Egiziaca (1355), he was inspired by God to charity until (c. 1364) he gave all that he possessed to the hospital of S. Maria della Scala and to the nuns of S. Bonda in Siena, reserving for himself the use of a house and a sum for his wife. He thus devoted himself to an intense life of penance and apostolate, gathering disciples who were called Gesuati (v.), but annoying the authorities, who exiled him (1357 or 1363); he then visited Arezzo, Città di Castello, Pisa, Lucca, Pistoia, and Florence, but was soon recalled by his homeland, repentant and terrified by the plague, interpreted as punishment for the unjust exile. He was also accused of heresy, but received the approval of Urban V (Corneto, 4 June 1367). On his return to Siena, he was seized by illness at Acquapendente and died at S. Salvatore on 31 July 1367. His cult was in a certain sense recognized by Gregory XIII, who entered him in the Roman Martyrology, and by Paul V, who granted his Office and Mass to Siena and the Gesuati.
A life of him by Pietro Petroni has been lost; the attribution of certain laudi is uncertain, except for one: Diletto Gesù Cristo chi ben t'ama; 114 letters are certainly his, full of contrition for himself, understanding for others, contempt for earthly goods, confidence in divine help, and above all rich in a fervent and most sweet desire for Jesus, which he ceaselessly seeks to communicate to others.
P. Miscattelli (Firenze 1923) and by Fantozzi (Lanciano 1925). For the life, v.: G. Pardi, Della vita e degli scritti di G. C. da Siena, in Bull. sen. di st. patria, 2 (1895), pp. 1-50 and 202-30, and by the same author: Il b. G. C. da Siena, in Nuova viv. star., 11 (1927), pp. 286-336. For the life and art, v.: N. Sapegno, Il Trecento, Milano 1934, pp. 510-55 and 564; A. Levasti, in Mistici del '200 e del '300, ivi 1935, pp. 65-67, 1008-1010 (and the Lettere, pp. 749-81); G. Petrocchi, Le lettere del b. C., in Convictum, 2ª serie, 3 (19-30, 1).