Francisco Arias (1533 – 15 May 1605) was a Spanish

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

author, known as a writer of

ascetical Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

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s. Arias was born in

Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...

and joined the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

at the age of twenty-six. He studied at the

University of Alcalá The University of Alcalá ( es, Universidad de Alcalá) is a public university located in Alcalá de Henares, a city 35 km (22 miles) northeast of Madrid in Spain and also the third-largest city of the region. It was founded in 1293 as a ...

, and was later professor of scholastic theology at Córdoba, and professor of moral theology at the , Trigueros. He also served as rector of the colleges at Trigueros and

Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...

. Arias was commonly regarded as a saint, and was known for his gift of prayer and his spirit of penance. He was especially devoted to the care of blacks,

Moors The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or ...

, and the inmates of hospitals and prisons. Arias was held in high esteem by

John of Avila John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

, and his works are recommended by St. Francis of Sales in his ''Introduction to a Devout Life''.

Works

*''Spiritual Profit'' *''Treatise on the Rosary'' *''Imitation of Our Lady'' *''Imitation of Christ'' *''Mental Prayer'' *''The Use of the Sacraments'' *''The Promises of God'' *''The Turpitude and Grievousness of Sin''

References

External links

Full text of "The Charity of Jesus Christ" (archive.org)Full text of "Tractatus de Rosario de B. Virginis Mariae" (Google Books)Full text of "De imitatione beatiss. virginis Mariae" (Google Books)Full text of "De imitatione Dominae Nostrae gloriosae Virginis et Dei parae Mariae" (Google Books)
Writers from Seville 1533 births 1605 deaths 16th-century Spanish Roman Catholic theologians 16th-century Spanish Jesuits University of Alcalá alumni {{Spain-RC-clergy-stub