**GIOVANNI of PARIS (QUIDORT, LESOURD, Dormiens, Surdus).** – Dominican scholastic, born c. 1269, died at Bordeaux on 22 Sept. 1306. He entered the Order of Preachers after obtaining the bachelor’s degree in the arts and distinguished himself by the zeal with which he embraced and defended Thomism. He taught in the faculty of arts and in 1304 obtained the licentiate in theology. A special theory of transubstantiation drew upon him a trial that he lost before the masters of Paris (1305). He appealed to Pope Clement V, but death overtook him while he was preparing his defense.
He wrote a *Correctorium*; *De unitate esse et essentiae in creatis*; a commentary on the *Meteorologica* and the *Physica*; a commentary on the *Sentences*; a treatise *De Antichristo*, against Arnaldo da Villanova; and another, better known, *De potestate regia et papali*, with which he took part in the literary and political struggle between the followers of Boniface VIII and Philip the Fair. He was often cited by Gallicans for some of his *obiter dicta*, but deserves to be remembered chiefly for having conceived and expounded a balanced system on the relations between Church and State. He was not an advocate of universal monarchy and affirmed that civil power does not derive from the pope but, like spiritual power, directly from God through popular election. To ecclesiastical authority does not belong the governance of temporal affairs, but, on account of the preeminence of its end, a regulative action that is exercised through a moral jurisdiction over the conscience of peoples, and especially of those who direct their politics.
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**C. GIOVANNI (BURALLI) of PARMA, Blessed.** – General Minister of the Franciscan Order, born at Parma c. 1208, died at Camerino on 19 March 1289. He became a Friar Minor c. 1233, and was lecturer in theology at Bologna, Naples, and Paris (1245); elected Minister General of the Order at the Chapter of Lyon in 1247.
Of holy life and inclined to austerity, during his office (1247-57) he favored the zealous friars, ever more ardent supporters of the Joachimite doctrines, to which G. himself also adhered. During the early university struggles with the Mendicants at Paris, the pious general worked to reconcile opposing sides, an effort appreciated by his adversaries. As accusations against the Joachimite friars intensified, G.’s position (to whom many also attributed the *Introduction to the Eternal Gospel* of Gherardo da Borgo San Donnino, 1254) became untenable: he was succeeded in the generalship by St. Bonaventure, who had to institute a process against his predecessor (Città della Pieve, more likely 1263). G. retired to the convent of Greccio, whence he emerged after thirty years to journey to the East for the cause of Church union, but died en route. He had taken part in the First Council of Lyon (1245) and had already served as legate of Innocent IV in Greece in 1249-50. His cult was confirmed in 1777 by Pius VI; feast on 20 March.
He left (unpublished) various theological and scriptural works; the later attribution to him of the celebrated *Sacrum commercium b. Francisci cum domina paupertate* is highly doubtful (contemporary sources such as Salimbene and others who knew him make no mention of it). The name of G. was always invoked with veneration and for polemical purposes by the Spirituals.
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