MENOCHIO, GIOVANNI STEFANO. - Jesuit theologian and exegete, b. in Pavia in Dec. 1575, d. in Rome on 4 Feb. 1655. He taught biblical exegesis and moral theology in Milan; he was superior of various colleges, rector of the Roman College, provincial of Milan and of Rome, admonitor of the generals Carafa and Piccolomini.
His Brevis explicatio sensus literalis totius Sacrae Scripturae ex optimis quibusque auctoribus per epitomen collecta (Cologne 1630), esteemed and sought after, was reproduced first on its own, then in various collections, about thirty times until 1873, when it was included in La Ste Bible by C. F. Drioux (8 vols., Paris 1872-73). As the resulting editions were full of typographical errors, the Jesuit J. R. Tournermine (d. in 1739) prepared a new one, emended and enriched with valuable dissertations on supplementary questions, taken from other authors such as J. Bonfrère, J. Mariana, J. Acosta, etc., praising Menochio's expertise in the biblical languages, his exegetical acumen, his patristic culture, his theological solidity, his careful research, and his sober and clear exposition.
Other works: Hieropoliticum, sive Institutiones politicee e S. Scripturis depromptae (Lyons 1625); Institutiones oeconomicae ex S. Literis depromptae (Paris 1627), also printed in Italian (Venice 1656) with additions and under the title Economia cristiana; Le suore di Gio. Corona (pseudonym of Stefano), woven of various sacred, moral and profane erudition (Rome 1646); De republica Hebraeorum (Paris 1648); Historia sacra della vita, attioni, doctrina, miracoli, passioni, morte, risurettione e salita al Cielo del N. Redentore, Salvatore G. C. (Rome 1653); Historia sacra degli Atti degli Apostoli (ibid. 1654).
Bibliography2 works
Antonio Carrozzini