Tommaso Agostino Ricchini
Tommaso Agostino Ricchini [1]
a learned Italian ecclesiastic, was born at Cremona in 1695. At the age of fifteen he entered the Dominican order, devoted himself to poetry, and published at Milan several religious pieces. He afterwards taught theology in the principal houses of his order in Lombardy, and filled the office of prior at Cremona. Called to Rome in 1740, he became in 1749 secretary of the Congregation of the Index and examiner of the bishops. He enjoyed the favor of Benedict XIV, who often made use of his learning in literary work. In 1759 Ricchini became one of the masters of the pope's palace. He died at Rome in 1762. Among his numerous works are, In Funere Benedicti XIII (Rome, 1730, 4to): — De Vita Vinc. Gotti (ibid. 1742, 8vo): — Patris Mlonetoe adversus Catharos et Valdenses (ibid. 1743, fol.); the first edition of this work was accompanied with notes and a life of the author: — De Vita et Cultu B. Alberti Villaconiensis (ibid. 1784, 8vo): — De Vita ac Rebus Cardinalis Gregorii Barbidici (ibid. 1761, 4to), translated into Italian by Fr. Petroni. See Arisi, Cremona Litterata; Catalan, De Secretario S. Congr. Indicis Lib. II.
