Crespi de Valdaura y Borja, Luis. — Spanish theologian and bishop, b. at Valencia on 2 May 1607, d. there on 19 Apr. 1663. Ordained priest in 1631, he taught theology at Valencia for 22 years. He translated the Life of St Philip by Bochi (Valencia 1651). In 1633 he went to Rome, where he made contact with the Fathers of the Oratory of St Philip Neri, and on his return to Spain he founded the first Oratorian Congregation in Spain, gathering around him a group of priestly companions. In 1648 he was elected bishop of Orihuela and in 1658 transferred to Plasencia; he was most pious and promoted many works of charity.
He served as ambassador of King Philip IV to plead the cause of the Immaculate Conception before Alexander VII, to whom he delivered his Prophaneulum theologicum.
At Milan he designed the church of S. Paolo and carved various bas-reliefs for its façade. He was also the designer of the colossal statue of St Charles at Arona, of which a drawing by him is preserved in the Ambrosian Library.