RIBADENEYRA, PEDRO DE

Historian, ascetical writer, and disciple of ignatius of loyola; b. Toledo, Nov. 1, 1526; d. Madrid, Sept. 22, 1611. When in Rome as a page of Cardinal Alexander Farnese, he entered the Society of Jesus (Sept. 18, 1540). After studies at the University of Padua (1545–49), he taught at Palermo and at the Germanicum, Rome. Having been ordained in 1553, he was in the Netherlands from 1556 to 1560, where he consolidated the society and made a name as a preacher. He was in England in the winter of 1558–59. Between 1560 and 1572 he filled many important administrative offices in the society in Italy, but ill health compelled his return to Spain in 1573. From then until his death he was chiefly occupied in writing. Best known of his classic Castilian works are his life of St. Ignatius, a history of the schism in England, and the Flos Sanctorum (Lives of the Saints).

Bibliography: Obras escogidas del padre Pedro de Rivadeneira, ed. v. de la fuente (Madrid 1868). Historias de la contrarre-forma, ed. e. rey (Madrid 1945). Monumenta historica Societatis Jesu (Madrid 1894–Rome 1932–), esp. Monumenta Ribadeneyra. c. sommervogel et al., Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, 11 v. (Brussels-Paris 1890–1932; v. 12, suppl. 1960) 6:1724–58. j. m. prat, Histoire du Père Ribadeneyra, discipline de saint Ignace (Paris 1862). a. astrain, Historia de la Compañía de Jesús, 7 v. (Madrid 1902–25). Enciclopedia de la Religión Católica, ed. r. d. ferreres et al., 7 v. (Barcelona 1950–56) 6:730–732.

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