JOHN OF RAGUSA

Theologian and churchman, active at the Council of basel; b. Ragusa, c. 1390 to 1395; d. Lausanne, 1443. John (Stojković) entered the Dominican Order in his native city and studied at Paris, receiving his doctor's degree in 1420. In 1423 he was envoy of that university to the Synod of Pavia. Here he was papal preacher, but he protested when the assembly was dissolved. In the interval, and definitely in 1429, before the opening of the Council of Basel, he served as procurator-general of the Dominicans at the Holy See. Most of John's subsequent history is connected with the Council of Basel. In 1431, Cardinal G. Cesarini being impeded, John was delegated to open the Council and he delivered the inaugural sermon; he left an account of the early activities of the assembly. In 1433 John, one of several theologians named to negotiate with the Hussites, debated at great length with one of their leaders, John Rokycana, on the reception of Communion under one or both species. In 1435 and 1437 he was ambassador of the Council to Constantinople to urge the cause of reunion and was instrumental in having the Eastern Emperor and the patriarch send a delegation to Basel for this purpose. On a mission in 1438 to the Emperor Albert II, he spoke in behalf of the council, showing conciliarist leanings. Upon his return to the council he joined the dissident party. In 1438 he was made bishop of Ardijsch, and in 1440 cardinal priest of San Sisto by the antipope Felix V. John's writings include a treatise on the Church, the sermon on Communion under both species, the history of the early work of the Council of Basel, a treatise on reunion of the Hussites, an unfinished account of his travels in the East and on re-union with the Greeks, and a concordance of indeclinable words in Sacred Scripture.

Bibliography: b. altaner, "Zur Geschichte der Handschriftensammlung des Kardinals Johannes von Ragusa," Historisches Jahrbuch der Görres-Gesellschaft 47 (1927) 730–732. a. walz, "I cardinali domenicani: Note bio-bibliografiche," Memorie Domenicane 57 (1940) 32. g. thils, "Le Tractatus de Ecclesia de Jean de Raguse," Angelicum 17 (1940) 219–244. k. binder, "Der Tractatus de Ecclesia Johanns von Ragusa und die Verhandlungen des Konzils von Basel mit den Husiten," ibid. 28 (1951) 30–54. b. duda, Joannis Stojkovié de Ragusio, O. P.: Doctrina de cognoscibilitate Ecclesiae (Rome 1958). r. rogosic, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 5:1073–4.

[j. f. hinnebusch]