Coeffeteau, Nicolas
COEFFETEAU, NICOLAS
Theologian; b. Château-du-Loir, 1574; d. Paris, April 21, 1623. He joined the Dominican Order in 1588. After receiving his doctorate in theology at Paris (1590), he taught theology, was prior, and served as regent of studies at the Priory of St. Jacques in the same city for nine years. He was also vicar of the French congregation of his order. In 1608 Henry IV chose him as court preacher. Paul V named Coeffeteau coadjutor bishop of Metz in 1617, and he was designated bishop of Marseilles in 1621. In all these capacities he proved himself a staunch defender of the faith against Calvinism. He was a prolific writer, so much so that he is considered one of the creators of French prose. Chief among his works are Merveilles de la saincte eucharistie (Paris 1606), Defense de la saincte eucharistie et présence réelle du Corps de Jésus Christ (Paris 1607), Pro sacra monarchia ecclesiae (Paris 1623), and Tableau des passions humaines (Paris 1620).
Bibliography: j. quÉtif and j. Échard, Scriptores Ordinis Praedicatorum (New York 1959) 2.1:434–435. h. hurter, Nomenclator literarius theologiae catholicae (Innsbruck 1903–13) 3:715–718. r. coulon, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al. (Paris 1903–50) 3.1:267–271. h. m. fÉret, Catholicisme 2:1278–79.
[j. h. miller]