Antoninus

1389-1459. Archbishop of Florence. Born in Florence, he joined the Dominican Order at the age of sixteen. Successively he became prior at Cortona (1418), at Friesole (1421), at Naples (1428), and at Rome, the Convent of St. Maria Sopra Minerva (1430), and was made auditor-general of the Rota under Eugenius IV in 1431 and vicar-general of the Dominican Order (1432-45). He participated in the Council of Florence (1439), dealing with the reunion with the Eastern Church. In 1446 he was appointed archbishop of Florence, and he was canonized by Adrian VI in 1523. He is the author of a Summa confessionalis, which included writings for those who were making confession, and a manual for priests who heard confessions and made absolutions. He also wrote a Summa Theologica. His Chronicon printed in Venice (1474-79) is a compilation of world history up to the year 1457.

A noted preacher, living as a simple friar also as archbishop, he was much concerned about the poor, was a ready counselor, and was deeply disturbed about corruption in the church. The repair of church buildings, the regularity of church services, pastoral ministration, and the reform of religious communities were major concerns. In his theology he was influenced by Thomas Aquinas. The humanism of the Italian Renaissance affected him little. His Opera a ben vivere was printed in 1858. His statue is the only statue of a priest in the Uffizi Palace in Florence.