JOHN
458
JOHN
torem", were published by Matthaeus Raderus with a
Latin translation (fob, Paris, 163:!). The whole is
reproduced in P.G., LXXXVIII tParis, 1S60), 579-
124S. Translations of the "Scala" have been pub-
lished in Spanish liy Louis of Granada (Salamanca,
1551), in Italian (Venice, 1585), in modern Greek by
Maximus Margunius, Bishop of Cerigo (Venice, 1590),
and in French by Arnauld d'Andilly (12mo, Pans,
1688). The last-named of these translations is pre-
ceded by a hfe of the saint by Le Maistre de Sacy.
There is also in existence an ancient life of the saint
by a monk named Daniel.
Acta SS., III. March, 834-5; Ceillier, Hisl. gen. des auteurs smr, < ,1 ,,r/, s,, XVII (Paris, 1750), 569-96; Fabricius, BM. nnira, \ HI (Hamburg, 1717). 61.5-20; Krhmbacher, Gesch 1,1/- f.ill. I Munich, 1897), 143-4; SoRlus, Vitce SS., II (Venice. li;si),i:t:i.
Leon Clugnet.
John Colombini, Blessed, founder of the Congrega- tion of Jesuati; b. at Siena, Upper Italy, about 1300; d. on the way to Acquapendente, 31 July, 1367. There was nothing in his early life to indicate the presence in his character of any unusual seeds of holiness. Be- longing to an old patrician family, he devoted himself, like thousands of his class in Italy, to commerce, swelled his already substantial fortune, and rose to a position of great prominence and influence among his fellow-citizens, who on several occasions elected him gonfalonier. Fortunate in his marriage, of which two children— Peter and Angela — were the fruit, liis pri- vate life was marred by his avarice, his amljition, and his proneness to anger. One day, while still suffering under a sense of mortification after one of his passion- ate outbursts occasioned by a petty domestic disap- pointment, he chanced to take up a biography of St. Mary of Egypt, whose later life had been as conspic- uous for penance as her earlier had been for sin. The perusal of this narrative brought a new light into his life; henceforth ambition and anger gave way to an almost incredible humility and meekness. The great transformation of his life extended to his business affairs, and excited in the purely mercenary-minded a ridicule easy to understand. Heedless, however, of raillery, he did not rest content with selling cheaper than any other merchant, but persisted in paying more for his purchases than the sum demanded. With the consent of his wife he soon abandoned his former patrician associates, visited hospitals, tended the sick, and made large donations to the poor. Then, casting aside the clothes usual to his station, he assumed the garments of the most indigent, and, having fallen ill and believing himself treated with too much delicacy at home, deserted his luxurious house for the ordinary ward of a poor hosiiital. His relations urged him to return, and finally elicited his consent on the condition that thenceforth he would be given only the coar.ser forms of nourishment. Nursed back to health, he in- sisted on making his house the refuge of the needy and the suffering, washing their feet with his own hands, dispensing to them bodily and spiritual comfort, leav- ing nothing undone that the spirit of charity could suggest. Among the wonders recorded to have taken place in this abode of Christian mercy was the miracu- lous disappearance of a leper, leaving the room per- meated with an indescribable fragrance.
It required eight years to render his wife reconciled to the extraordinary philanthropy of her husband. His son having meanwhile died and his daughter taken the veil, Colombini with the approval of his wife on whom he first settled a life-annuity, divided his for- tune into three parts: the first went to endow a hospital, the second and third to two cloisters, lo- gether with his old friend Francisco Mini, who had been associated with him in all his charitable labours, Colombini lived henceforward a life of apostolic pov- erty, begged for his daily broad, and esteemed it a favour to be allowed to w.'iit on the sick poor, while in
public and in their dwellings he stimulated the people
to penance. He was soon joined liy three of the Pic-
colomini and by members of other jititrician families,
who likewise distributed all their gootls among the
poor. Alarmed at these occurrences, many of the
Sienese now raised an outcry, complaining that Col-
ombini was inciting all the most promising young men
of the city to "folly", and succeeded in procuring his
banishment. Accompanied by twenty-five compan-
ions, Colombini left his native city without a protest
and visited in succession Arezzo, Cut a di Castello, Pisa
and many other Tuscan cities, m:iking numerous con-
versions, reconciling sundered friends, imd effecting the
return of much property to its rightful owners. An
epidemic which broke out at Siena shortly after his
departure, was generally regarded as a heavenly chas-
tisement for his banishment, and there was a universal
clamour for his recall. Regardless alike of derision
and insult, he resumed on his return his former chari-
table occupations, in his humility rejoicing to perform
the most menial services at houses where he had once
been an honoured guest.
On the return of Urban V from Avignon to Rome (1367), Colombini and his followers hastened to meet him, and begged him to sanction the foundation of their institute. A commission appointed by LTrban and presided over by Cardinal William Sudre, Bishop of Marseilles, having attested their freedom from every taint of the error of the Fraticelli, whose views some evil-intentioned people had accused them of holding, the pope gave his consent to the foundation of their congregation. The name Jesuati (Jesuates) had al- ready been given them by the populace of Viterbo because of their constant use of the ejaculation "Praise be to Jesus Christ." From the very begin- ning they had a special veneration for St. Jerome, and, to this fact and to the apostolic life they led, they are indebted for their longer title, Clerici apostolici s. Hieronymi (Apostolic Clerics of St. Jerome). Urban appointed as their habit a white soutan, a white four-cornered hood hanging round the neck and falling in folds over the shoulders, and a mantle of a dun colour; the soutan was encircled by a leathern girdle, and sandals were worn on the feet. Their occupa- tions were to be the care of the sick, particularly the plague-stricken, the burial of the dead, prayer, and strict mortification (including daily scourging) . Their statutes were at first based on the Rule of St. Bene- dict, modified to suit the aims of the congregation, but the Rule of St. Augustine was later adopted. _ Colom- bini died a week after the foundation of his institute, having appointed Mini his successor. After many miracles had occurred at his tomb, Gregory XIII in- serted Colomhini's name in the Roman Martyrology, fixing 31 July for the celebration of his feast, which is of obligation at Siena. Under Mini and his successor. Blessed Jerome Dasciano, the Jesuati spread rajjidly over Italy, and in 1606 the Holy See allowed the recep- tion of priests into the congregation. .4buses, how- ever, crept in subsequently, and the congregation was suppressed by Clement IX in 1668 as of little ad- vant:ige to the interests of the Church.
The .Icsu:itesses or Sisters of the \'isitation of Mary, fouiulocl about 1367 at the suggeslion of Colombini by his cousin Blessed Calliarine ( 'oloinbini of Siena (d. 20 October, l:;s7), s])oke as little as possible. f:isted very strictly, and chasti.sed their bodies twice daily. They also spread very rapidly, and survived in Italy until 1872.
Baluze, Miscell., ed. Mansi, IV, 566; Pariii, Delia mta e degli scritti di Giovanni Colombini da Siena in Bull.Senese slor., 11(1895) 1-50,202-30; Fbau Lebendcs sel. Joh. Colombimaus Siena (R.itisbon, 1846) ; Rambuteau, Le bienheureuxColombim, histoire d'un toacan au XIV' s. (3rd ed.. Pans, 1893), Ital. tr. bv LuBlNl, /; b. Giov. Colombini (Siena, 1894); Hei.yot, Hiat. des ordres religieux (Paris, 1792) s. y./c™«^•s.■ Heimbucher, Die Orden u. Kongreg. der kathol. Kirche. II (Paderbom, 1896), 240 sqq.; Hefele in Kirchenlex., s. v. Je.^imli.
Thomas Kennedy.
