GIOVANNI da CARABANTES. – Capuchin preacher and missionary of the ancient province of Aragon, b. 17 June 1628, d. at Monforte de Lemos on 11 Apr. 1694.
From 1657, together with other confreres, he undertook a bold mission in the regions of Caracas, Cumaná (Venezuela) and along the banks of the Orinoco, especially among the fierce Carabí Indians, founding villages and towns; he baptized more than 10,000 natives. He published (Seville 1666) interesting accounts of these missions; he presented to Alexander VII the homage of some indigenous chiefs, urging the sending of more missionaries. He gave them valuable guidance in the manual *Práctica de misiones, remedio de pecadores* (León 1674; part 2, Madrid 1678; extracts in *Analecta Min. Cappuccinorum*, 43 [1927], pp. 205-16). From 1667 he devoted himself to preaching in Andalusia and especially in Galicia, of which he was proclaimed the apostle. He spread the practice of singing the mysteries of the Rosary in the streets, illustrating this and other devotions in *Jardin florido del alma cultivado del christiano con el exercicio del Rosario*, *Vita crucis*, V. de otras muchas devoziones* (Madrid 1677). For the use of parish priests and the faithful he commented on the Sunday Gospels in the *Práctica domiciliare* and *lecciones doctrinales* (vols., ibid. 1717 and 1727, Valencia 1723, Barcelona 1742). His cause of beatification was introduced on 24 Aug. 1910.
Ilario da Milano