GIOVANNI (ALBINELLI) da SESTOLA. - Capuchin spiritual writer of the province of Bologna, secretary and biographer of Fr. Giambattista d'Este, formerly Alfonso III, duke of Modena. Born at Sestola (Modena) in 1582, he entered the Order on 28 May 1600 and died at Modena on 21 June 1646.
He promoted Eucharistic devotion by spreading the practice of the Forty Hours and of the confraternity known as that “of the Sacks” (1629). His principal works are: Instruttione al ben morire... divisa in tre parti (Innsbruck 1632); Del cappuccino d'Este che fu nel secolo il ser.mo Alfonso III Duca di Modena (Modena 1646). In the first he deals with preparation for death; he sets forth the manner of assisting the dying and those condemned to death; he proposes the spiritual exercises most necessary for every Christian who desires to live and die in the grace of God, and necessary for priests who visit the sick. In the second work he extols the virtues of the Capuchin duke, allowing himself to be somewhat carried away by personal affection.