Viatora Coccaleo

A Capuchin friar, so called from his birthplace, Coccaglio in Lombardy, date of birth unknown; d. 1793. For a time he was lector in theology and wrote several works that give him a place among the noteworthy theologians in a period of theological decline. These are: “Tentamina theologico-scholastica” (Bergamo, 1768-74); “Tentaminum theologicorum in moralibus Synopsis” (Venice, 1791); “Instituta moralia” (Milan, 1760). His defence of papal supremacy, “Italus ad Justinum Febronium” (Lucca, 1768; Trent, 1774), is one of the principal apologies against Febronius. Besides writing several works against Jansenism, he took part in the discussion concerning the devotion to the Sacred Heart and the sanctification of Holy Days, made famous by the Synod of Pistoja (1786), and published: “Riflessioni sopra l’origine e il fine della divozione del S. Cuore di Gesù” (Naples, 1780); “Riposta sul dubbio, se la sola Messa basti a santificare le feste” (Bologna, 1781). To these may be added his studies on the text and meaning of the poem of Prosper of Aquitaine, “Contra Ingratos” (2 vols., Brescia, 1756 and 1763) and his work on the philosophic spirit of Prosper’s epigrams (Brescia, 1760).