MARIANO da Genazzano. - Of the Augustinian Hermits, preacher, born in Genazzano in 1450, died in Sessa on 14 Dec. 1498. After several years of teaching, he devoted himself to preaching in northern and central Italy, especially renowned in Florence.
He enjoyed the friendship and intimacy of Lorenzo the Magnificent and the Florentine humanist circles; for his manners and his very elegant eloquence, not devoid of refined rhetorical niceties, he was widely praised by Poliziano. He was one of the most bitter opponents of Savonarola and contributed to his downfall.
In Florence and elsewhere he established convents of his Order, in which he held various offices and of which he was vicar general for the Congregation of Lombardy (1497). From Alexander VI he obtained that the office of sacristy of His Holiness be assigned to a religious of his Order (a privilege that still endures).