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Bonaventure

Doctor of the Church

Sanctified Life

1221 — 1274

Bagnoregio, Italy

Also Known As

Seraphic Doctor

Patronage

bowel disorders,theologians,

"If you ask how such things occur, seek the answer in God's grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the will, not in the understanding."

A Franciscan theologian often compared to Aquinas for his intellect, but with a greater emphasis on the will and love. He served as Minister General of the Franciscans, steering the order through internal crises. His 'Journey of the Mind to God' is a classic of mystical theology.

Bonaventure
Historical Legacy

Historical Journey

Historical Summary (Wikidata)
Bonaventure ( BON-ə-ven-chər, -⁠VEN-; Italian: Bonaventura da Bagnoregio [ˌbɔnavenˈtuːra da (b)baɲɲoˈrɛːdʒo]; Latin: Bonaventura de Balneoregio; born Giovanni di Fidanza; 1221 – 15 July 1274) was an Italian Catholic Franciscan bishop, cardinal, scholastic theologian and philosopher. The seventh Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, he also served for a time as Bishop of Albano. He was canonised on 14 April 1482 by Pope Sixtus IV and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 by Pope Sixtus V, becoming known as the "Seraphic Doctor" (Latin: Doctor Seraphicus). His feast day is 15 July. Many writings from the Middle Ages once attributed to him have been subsequently re-classified under the name "Pseudo-Bonaventure".

Historical Depiction

Historical depiction of Bonaventure

Wikimedia Commons Source

Tradition

Franciscans

Titles & Roles

• writer• mystic• Catholic priest• theologian

Writings

book

Journey of the Mind to God

A roadmap of the soul's ascent to the divine.

Sacred Symbols

cardinal hat

Rank

tree of_life

Cross

Life Journey

Early Life

Healed by St. Francis as a child, who exclaimed 'O Bona Ventura!'

The Turning Point

Entering the Franciscan order and studying at Paris.

Historical Legacy

Cardinal, Papal advisor, and key figure at the Council of Lyon.