Maximinus of Salerno

MASSIMINO da SALERNO. - Dominican, biographer of St Catherine da Siena.

In 1417, while at S. Domenico in Siena, he wrote at the behest of his prior, Tommaso Caffarini, a Legenda (life) of St Catherine da Siena, « valde abbreviata », and therefore called Legenda minima, drawing it from another which Caffarini himself had written by abridging the Legenda maior of Raimondo da Capua. The abridgement was made for the convenience of preachers « et aliis plurimis occupatis », retaining the same order of chapters, but grouping the Saint’s miracles into 80. This Legenda has so far been found in 3 manuscripts, and published only in part (the first 6 chapters and part of the 7th) by E. Franceschini, Legenda minore di s. Caterina da Siena (Milano 1942, pp. 145-48).

BIBL.: Besides the preface to Franceschini’s work, cf. R. Fawtier, Ste Catherine de Sienne. Essai de critique des sources. I. Sources hagiographiques (Bibliothèque des Ecoles françaises d'Athènes et de Rome, 1921, Parigi 1921, pp. 20-21; H.-M. Laurent, Il processo Castellano (Fontes vitae s. Catherinee Semenis, 9), Milano 1942, p. LX ff. Renata Orazi Ausenda
Cite this article

“MASSIMINO DA SALERNO.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VIII (1952), p. 206. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/massimino-da-salerno.