FOSCARINI, PAOLO ANTONIO. – Carmelite theologian, of the noble Venetian family of the F., born in Montalto Uffugo (Calabria) around 1565, died there on 10 June 1616. A celebrated preacher, mathematician, and professor of theology and philosophy in Naples and Messina, he also held the office of prior at Tropea (1607) and of provincial of Calabria (1608–12).
Principal works: Meditaciones, preces et exercitia quotidiana super orationem dominicam (Cosenza 1611); Institutionum omnis generis doctrinarum syntaxis (there 1613); Trattato della divinazione naturale cosmologica (Naples 1615); his Lettera sopra l'opinione de' Pittagorici e del Copernico della mobilità della terra e stabilità del Sole e del nuovo Pittagorico sistema del mondo (there 1615) was famous. In it he endeavors to demonstrate that the doctrine of the immobility of the sun at the center of the world and the mobility of the earth is in conformity with the truth and is not contrary to Sacred Scripture; prudently, he declares that he does not wish to defend this system absolutely, but as a hypothesis, and that he intends to submit to the judgment of the Church. This letter was, by decree of 5 March 1616,
FOSCOLO, UGO. — Portrait with autograph signature. Drawing by R. Bonaiuti, engraved by L. Paradisi (ca. 1825) — Rome, specimen in the Library of the Institute of Archaeology and Art History.
condemned by the Sacred Congregation of the Index, together with the works of Galilei; nevertheless, it was subsequently published repeatedly in Latin (Trevi 1635, Leiden 1636, Lyon 1641, London 1663 together with the works of Galilei).
Ambrosio di Santa Teresa