BONAVENTURE, a celebrated cardinal, called, from his works, the Seraphic Doctor. He was born at Bagnarea, a small town of Tuscany, in 1221. His original name was Giovanni Fidenza; but from a particular circumstance he got that of Bonaventure, by which alone he is now generally known. He took the habit of a monk of the order of St Francis in 1243, was received doctor at Paris in 1255, and the year following became general of his order. After the death of Clement IV. the cardinals disagreeing about the election of a new pope, engaged themselves by a solemn promise to elect the person who should be named by Bonaventure, even although it should be himself; but he nominated Theobald, archdeacon of Liège, who was then in the Holy Land, and who, on his election, assumed the name of Gregory X. This pope, in return, made Bonaventure a cardinal and bishop of Alba in 1273, and ordered him to assist at the second general council of Lyons, where he died in 1274. His works were printed at Rome in 7 vols. folio. Bonaventure was canonized by Sixtus IV.; proclaimed doctor of the church, with the surname of Seraphic Doctor, by Sixtus V.; eulogised by Luther as an excellent man (Bonaventura, prastantissimus vir); and characterized by Bellarmin as a doctor alike beloved by God and man.