Leandro of San Martino (Jones, John)

LEANDRO OF SAN MARTINO (JONES, JOHN). - Benedictine theologian, b. in London to a Protestant family in 1575, d. there on 27 Dec. 1636. He attended the schools of Westminster and Oxford, where, although a Protestant, he defended theses that made him suspected of being a Catholic, for which reason he was removed from there. He then went to Spain (1596) where, having converted, he entered the Benedictine Order (1599).

He taught theology, Sacred Scripture and Hebrew for 22 years at the College of Douai. Prior of the monastery (1612), he was elected president of the English Benedictine Congregation in 1622. His biblical publications were highly esteemed. In collaboration with John Gallemart he published: Biblia iuxta editiones ante editionem Clementinum cum glossa ordinaria (6 vols., Douai 1617; Antwerp 1634, better). At the end of each volume follow the corrections of Luke of Bruges. Critically edited, thanks to its very copious indexes, the work proved of practical utility for preaching as well as for scholars: Historia et harmonia Conciliorum (Frankfurt 1618). He edited the edition of various theological and apologetic works of earlier authors, of which the principal one: S. Cumirano O. Min., Conciliatio locorum specie tenus pugnantium totius Sacrae Scripturae (ibid. 1623).

Vito Zolini