MANCIO DE CORPUS CHRISTI. - Dominican theologian, born in Becerril de Campos (Palencia) in 1504, died in Salamanca on 18 July 1576. A disciple of F. de Vitoria. He obtained the mastership in theology in 1546, was professor at the University of Alcalá from 1546 to 1564 and then at Salamanca (1564-76), where he had as a pupil St. John of the Cross. He was unjustly accused twice before the Holy Office by envious adversaries.
Commissioned to examine the Catechism of his confrere B. Carranza, he approved it, arousing the wrath of the Grand Inquisitor Valdés. He also defended before the Holy Office Louis de León and the two Augustinians de Greval and de Martínez de Cantalapiedra. Consulted by Philip II regarding the advisability of the Crusade, he gave a favorable opinion. He fully approved the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, against others who had found in them some expressions suspected of heresy. He also judged favorably the spirituality of St. Teresa, contributing with this judgment to calm the Saint. A faithful disciple of Aquinas, whose Summa he commented on, lover of truth, learned and humble, he was highly esteemed by his contemporaries. His works are preserved in manuscript in the libraries of Palencia, Coimbra, Madrid, and the Vatican (cod. Ottob. 1058).