Francesco Silvestri, O.P. (ca. 1474 – 19 September 1528) was an Italian Dominican theologian.[note 1] He wrote a notable commentary on Thomas of Aquinas's Summa contra gentiles, and served as Master General of his order from 1525 until his death.
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Francesco Silvestri was born at Ferrara in about 1474.[1] At the age of fourteen he joined the Dominican Order. In 1516 he was made a master in theology.[1] He was prior first in his native city and then at Bologna, and in the provincial chapter held at Milan in 1519 he was chosen vicar-general of the Lombard congregation of his order.[1]
Having discharged this office for the allotted term of two years, he became regent of the college at Bologna where he remained for a considerable time.[1] He was also inquisitor of Bologna from 1519 until 1525[2]. Later he was appointed by Pope Clement VII vicar-general of his entire order, and on 3 June 1525, in the General Chapter held at Rome, he was elected Master General.[1]
As general of his order he visited nearly all the convents of Italy, France, and Belgium, making efforts there to restore discipline.[1] He was planning to begin a visitation of the Spanish convents when he died of a fatal illness on 19 September 1528 at Rennes in Brittany.[1][3] Leandro Alberti, his traveling companion, remarked that Silvestri was a man of "remarkable mental endowments," and that "nature seemed to have enriched him with all her gifts."[1]
Silvestri wrote many works on philosophy, most notably on Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle.[4]
Preceded by García de Loaysa |
Master General of the Dominican Order 1525–1528 |
Succeeded by Paolo Butigella |