CORTESE, GREGORIO. — Cardinal, reformer of the Benedictines and theologian, born Giovan Battista Andrea, was born in Modena in 1483 and died in Rome on 21 September 1548. Sent to Lérins in 1516 to reform that monastery, he transformed it into a sanctuary of piety and learning, attaching to it an academy for humanistic studies. As abbot at Lérins, Modena, Perugia, S. Giorgio in Venice, Praglia, and Polirone, he was finally appointed general visitor of the Cassinese Congregation and apostolic visitor for all Italy. Called to Rome in 1536 to collaborate in the Reform, he was created cardinal on 2 June 1542 and on 6 November following bishop of Urbino. He was a member of the Congregation for the preparation of the Council of Trent. Less successful in poetry, he left brief works in philosophy, theology, apologetics, Holy Scripture, patristics, ecclesiastical history, and secular matters, but much was lost and much remains unpublished. An edition of his works was prepared by Giovanni Gradenigo, bishop of Ceneda: Greg. Cortesi, monachi cassinatis et S. R. E. Cardinalis, omnia, quae hucusque colligi potuerunt, opera ab eo scripta sive ad illum spectantia (2 vols., Padua 1774).
CORTESE, GREGORIO
BIBL.: G. A. Gradenigo, Biografia, in Opera Cortesi, I, Padua 1774; G. Tiraboschi, Storia della letteratura italiana, VII, parte 1, II, Rome 1784, cap. 1, nn. 16-17, pp. 285-89; A. G. Ansart, Vie de G. C., Paris 1786; G. Prandi, Elogio storico del card. G. C., Pavia 1788; F. Dittrich, s. V. in Kirchenlex., III, cols. 1135-30; Hutter, II, 1499-1500; M. Ott, s. V. in Catt. Enc., IV, pp. 400-401; Anon., s. V. ENOCH. eur.-amer. civ., XV, pp. 1047-85; Pastor, V, pp. 135-36; V. Schweitzer, V. in LThK, III, cols. 57.