GAZZANIGA, PIERRO MARIA. - Dominican theologian and writer, b. at Bergamo on 3 March 1722, d. at Vicenza on 11 Dec. 1799. Having completed his studies at Bologna, he taught at Pavia (1747-50), at Bologna (1750-53), at Genoa (1753-56), and then again at Bologna from 1756 to 1758. The following year he was entrusted at Vienna with the chair of Thomistic theology, then founded by the Empress Maria Teresa. He held it until his return to Italy in 1782. The following year he was elected provincial of Lombardy (1783-85). He enjoyed the esteem and friendship of Pio VI, who attended his lectures in Vienna, of the nuncio Garampi, and of the Emperor Giuseppe II, who, after his teaching, assigned him an annual pension of 300 florins.
He published the Praelectiones theologicae (4 vols., Vienna 1763-66; eight subsequent editions, the last in 9 vols., Bassano 1851); they deal with God and his attributes, the Most Holy Trinity, human acts, Grace, and the theological virtues. Other works by him include: Theologia dogmatica in systema reducta (2 vols., Vienna 1786), subsequently reprinted; Theologia polemica (2 vols., ibid. 1778-79). He was a most vehement opponent of probabilism and of the Molinists; consequently, he engaged in controversies with the Jesuits, particularly Gioacchino Cortes and Gian Carlo Brignole, who allegedly accused him of Jansenism.