Fonseca (Soares), Antonio Da

Fonseca (Soares), Antonio da (better known by the name of Antonio das Chagas), a celebrated Portuguese theologian, was born at Vidigueira, June 25, 1631. He studied at the University of Evora, and after the death of his father engaged as a simple soldier, but having killed a man in a duel, fled to Brazil. At Bahia he was reformed from a life of licentiousness by reading a treatise of F. Luiz da Granada, and from that time resolved to become a Franciscan. He returned to Europe, and, after some relapses of faith, joined the order of St. Francis of Evora, May 18, 1662. Afterwards he studied theology at Coimbra, established a seminary at Torres-Vedras in 1678, and there died, with the reputation of sanctity, October 20, 1682, leaving the following works, posthumously published: Faiscas de Amor Dicino (Lisbon, 1683): — Obras Espirituaes (ibid. 1684, 1687, in 2 parts): — O Padre nosso Commentado (1688): — Espelho do Espirito em que deve verse e Comporse a Alma (1683): — Escola da Penitencia (1687) Sermoes Genuinos (1690), besides a number of ascetical writings still in MS. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.