RIDOLFI, NICCOLÒ. - In the world Lucantonio, master general of the Friars Preachers, diplomat and ascetical writer, b. in Florence in 1578, d. in Rome on 25 May 1650. He received the Dominican habit (1592) in S. Maria sopra Minerva from the hands of St. Philip Neri, his director. He was successively master of the students (1609), bachelor in the College of St. Thomas (1611), master in theology (1614), lecturer in philosophy at the Sapienza, Roman provincial (1619-21), master of the SS. Apostolic Palaces (1622), finally master general of his Order.
He fought against private life (1629), promoted religious reform and established in Paris a national novitiate of formation (1631). Because of his pro-Spanish stance, for having favored the marriage of Princess Olimpia Aldobrandini with Paolo Borghese and for having sided with Cardinal R. Ubaldini, opposed to the Barberini, he fell into disfavor with Urban VIII who, under vague accusations, suspended him from office (brief Alias a nobis), relegated him to S. Pietro in Vincoli (1542) and subjected him to an interminable trial. Anna of Austria, Mazarin, the Duke of Orléans, Philip IV of Spain defended him. Rehabilitated by Innocent X, he died a few days before his probable re-election as General could take place. He wrote many encyclical letters to his Order, of which notable is the one beginning Videte vocationem vestram (1 Jan. 1631), given to the press; Breve modo di far l'orazione mentale, Rome 1642.
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Antonino Silli