Mancio de Corpus Christi

MANCIO DE CORPUS CHRISTI. - Dominican theologian, b. at Becerril de Campos (Palencia) around 1504, d. at Salamanca on 8 July 1576. A disciple of F. de Vitoria. He obtained the master's degree in theology in 1546, was a professor at the University of Alcalá from 1546 to 1564 and then at Salamanca (1564-76), where he had St. John of the Cross as a disciple. He was unjustly accused twice before the Holy Office by envious adversaries.

Entrusted with examining the Catechism of his confrere B. Carranza, he approved it, arousing the wrath of the inquisitor general Valdér. He also took up the defense before the Holy Office of Louis de León and of the two Augustinians de Greyal and de Martínez de Cantalapiedra. Consulted by Philip II about the advisability of the Crusade, he gave a favorable opinion. He fully approved the Exercises of St. Ignatius, against others who had found in them certain expressions suspected of heresy. He also judged favorably the spirituality of St. Teresa, contributing by that judgment to reassuring the Saint. A faithful disciple of the Angelic Doctor, whose Summa he commented upon, a lover of truth, learned and humble, he was greatly esteemed by his contemporaries. His works are preserved in manuscript in the Libraries of Palencia, Coimbra, Madrid and the Vatican (cod. Ottob. 1958).

Alfonso D'Amato