PRECONIO, OTTAVIANO. - Franciscan Conventual theologian, born in Castroreale (Messina) around the end of the 15th century, died in Palermo on 18 July 1568.
A master of theology and distinguished preacher, he served as provincial minister of Sicily (1534–38; 1542–43), general visitor of Aragon and other transalpine provinces, auxiliary bishop of Monopoli (from 16 April 1546), then of Ariano (13 June 1561), and according to some sources also of Cefalù; archbishop of Palermo from 18 March 1562. He was also counsellor, preacher, and confessor to Charles V, and orator for Philip II at the Council of Trent during its third period, distinguishing himself with his opinions (*vota*) on the Index, the use of the Eucharist, residence, the concession of the chalice, and orders. In Palermo he held a reform synod in 1565, whose acts were published that same year.
Among his other writings are to be noted: *Summa de Sacramentis* (Palermo 1565); *Praeconium Sacramenti hoc est dispositio et praeparatio ad altissimum Eucharistiae Sacramentum* (ibid. – Naples 1566); *Expositio responsorii Libera me Domine de morte aeterna* (ibid. 1566); *Expositio perlucida in orationem illam obscuram seu offertorium mysterosum: Domine Jesu Christe rex gloriae* (Naples 1570).