GIORDANINI, PIER FRANCESCO. — Missionary of St. Vincent, born at Saluzzo on 15 January 1657,
died at Rome on 11 November 1720. He entered the Congregation of the Mission on 22 March 1679; he held important offices there in Pavia, Florence, and Rome. He spent the final period of his life in Rome as president of the Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles, which he directed wisely from 1703 (the year of its foundation) until his death.
Benedict XIV held him in high esteem for his theological and pastoral competence, describing him as « in administratione sacramentorum Poenitentiae apprime versatus ». G.’s work in 4 vols., Instruction for New Confessors (Rome, n.d.), went through many editions and became a standard work in the 18th century. Another meritorious work was a small ascetical volume, Ichnographia, or Model of a Bishop (there, 1719), reprinted several times, most recently a century ago under the title: The Life and Duties of a Bishop according to the Precepts of the Sacred Canons, the Holy Fathers, and History (there, 1850).