James de Benefactis, Bl.
JAMES DE BENEFACTIS, BL.
Giacomo Benefatti, bishop, preacher; b. Mantua, Italy, mid-13th century; d. there Nov. 19, c. 1328–38. He entered the Dominicans at an early age and became famous as a preacher. He was an advisor and secretary to the Dominican Pope benedict xi, who appointed him bishop of Mantua in c. 1304. He defended the faith against heresy and schism, and for his solicitous care of his flock earned the title Father of the Poor. His cult was approved by pius ix in 1859.
Feast: Nov. 26.
Bibliography: a. touron, Histoire des hommes illustres de l'ordre de S. Dominique, 6 v. (Paris 1743–49) 2:134. l. jadin, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques 7:1293–94. a. walz, Compendium historiae Ordinis Praedicatorum (new ed. Rome 1948) 203. g. gieraths, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 5:837. a. amargier, Catholicisme 6:267. i. taurisano, Catalogus hagiographicus ordinis praedicatorum 28.
[j. d. campbell]