OSORIO, GIROLAMO. - Portuguese theologian and exegete, b. in Lisbon in 1506, d. at Tavilla on 20 Aug. 1580. He completed his classical education at Salamanca and his philosophical-theological training at Paris and Bologna. In the latter city he also learned exegesis and Hebrew. Having returned to his homeland, O. was entrusted by King Giovanni III with the teaching of exegesis. Ordained a priest, O. also exercised a fruitful ministry until he was consecrated bishop of Silves at the wish of Caterina d'Austria, who governed the Kingdom of Portugal on behalf of the minor Sebastiano. Until his death, O. exercised great moral and political influence upon his country.
His principal writings were: In epistulam b. Pauli ad Romanos; Paraphrasis in Iob libri III; Paraphrasis in Psalmos; Paraphrasis in Isaiam libri V; Commentarius in Oseam prophetam; In Zachariam; In Evangelium Ioannis orationes XXI. All these works of O. were published by his nephew under the title: Opera omnia Hieronymi Osorii nepotis diligentia in unum collecta, 4 vols., Rome 1552 (2nd ed., ibid. 1592).