LEONARDUCCI, GASPARE. - Ascetical writer and poet, b. in Venice in 1685, d. at Cividale on 6 June 1752. While still very young, he professed the Somascan Rule at S. Maria della Salute in Venice, where he also taught literature and had the philosopher Jacopo Stellini among his pupils. At the Collegio Clementino in Rome, through his teaching, he restored the cult of Dante. He was subsequently parish priest of S. Croce in Padua and rector of the college of the same name, then rector of the College of Cividale del Friuli, where he died.
He composed a poem, La Provvidenza, in 61 cantos in terza rima. Among his ascetical works, the Considerazioni cristiane morali (Padua 1739) and Del modo di ben comunicarsi e confessarsi (ibid. 1732), intended for the use of students in Somascan colleges, enjoyed great success. Unpublished are a Commentario sulla poetica and other literary and religious writings.