Seripandi, Girolamo

Seripandi, Girolamo an Italian theologian, was born at Naples, May 6, 1493. On the death of his father, he entered the order of the Augustines, in 1507, and made such rapid progress in study that he was appointed reader at Sienna in 1515, professor of theology at Bologna in 1517, and vicar-general in 1523. He then gave himself to preaching with great success; but in 1539 he was elected general of his order, and in 1547 was reelected. He declined the bishopric of Aquilas in 1551; but was drawn from retirement. by a mission from the city of Naples to the emperor in 1554, whereupon he was appointed archbishop of Salerno. In 1561 he was made cardinal, and designated as one of the papal legates to the Council of Trent, where he died, March 17, 1563, worn out with toil. His character was one of singular piety, benevolence, and modesty. He wrote a number of ecclesiastical works and sermons, besides a commentary on Romans and Galatians. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Générale, s.v.