Luca, Giovanni Battista

Luca, Giovanni Battista an Italian prelate, was born at Venosa, Naples, in 1614. He raised himself by merit from poverty to the highest stations in the Church. He became referendarn of the two signatures, and auditor of pope Innocent XI, who appointed him cardinal September 1, 1681. Before entering the Church Luca had been a lawyer, and treatises on jurisprudence form the greater part of his works. He died at Rome February 5, 1683. His Theatrum Veritatis et Justitiae (1697, 7 volumes) treats of canon and civil law, and was very highly esteemed. Among his remaining works are the following: Concilium Tridentium, ex recensione J. Gallimarti et Aug. Barbosae, cum notis Cardinalis de Luca (Cologne, 1664). See Tiraboschi, Storia della Litteratura Italiana, volume 8; Migne, Hist. des Cardinaux, in the Encyclop. Ecclesiast.; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.