FERUS GIOVANNI (Wit.D.), - Observant Franciscan, celebrated preacher, born on 24 June 1495 in Swabia, died in 1554 in Mainz. He entered the religious life in 1515, and after completing his studies was sent as a preacher to Mainz (1528), where he remained until his death. He was highly esteemed for his elegant and effective eloquence, and for his firmness, devoid of acrimony, especially in defending the Faith against the encroaching Protestant danger.
His numerous sermons were published for the most part after his death, contrary to his intention. Lacking in precision in some points, also due to adulterations by Lutheran editors who are said to have supervised their printing, all his works were condemned and placed in the Index, *donde corrigantur*, except for the Commentaries on the Gospels of St Matthew and St John with his 14th epistle, and the book *Examen ordinandorum*, revised and printed after 1577.
Among his other works are cited: Commentaries on Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua and Judges (Cologne 1571); on Ecclesiastes (ibid. 1556); on Esther (two volumes), Ezra and Nehemiah (Mainz 1569); on Job (Cologne 1569); *Conciones Dominicales in Epistolas et Evangelia ab adventu ad Pascha* (Mainz 1554); *Conciones Dominicales a Paschae usque ad Adventum* (Lyons 1558); *Postillae in Sanctorum festa* (ibid. 1558).