List of important Franciscans

The list of important Franciscans includes members of the Franciscan orders ( Minorites , Capuchins , Franciscans (OFM) ) who are of particular importance for the history of the order.

Lists

Sorted by year of birth:

12th Century

Francis of Assisi (1181–1226), Italian saint and founder
Bernhard von Quintavalle (around 1180–1252), first companion of Francis
Pietro Catanii (around 1175–1221), Francis' second companion
Caesarius von Speyer (around 1175–1239), German theologian and penitential preacher, first provincial of the German Franciscans
Elias of Cortona (1180–1253), controversial 2nd General Minister of the Franciscans
Johannes de Plano Carpini (around 1185–1252), Italian explorer
Guido of Cortona (1187-1247), Blessed
Thomas von Celano (around 1190–1260), Italian chronicler and author
Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), Italian saint and doctor of the church
Jordan von Giano (around 1195–1262), chronicler and provincial minister in Germany
Bartholomaeus de Glanvilla (around 1195–1250), scholastic and author of one of the first encyclopedias

13th Century

Simon von Collazzone (around 1200–1250), a Franciscan venerated as a Blessed, companion of St. Francis
Benedictus Polonus (around 1200 – around 1280), Polish companion of Johannes de Plano Carpini and chronicler of his trip to Mongolia
Julian von Speyer († around 1250), canonized choir master, composer and poet in Paris
Luke of Padua (around 1200–1285), preacher and provincial of the Franciscans in Padua
Lamprecht von Regensburg (around 1200–?), German poet and mystic
John of Parma (1208–1289), eighth general minister of the Franciscan order, Blessed
Albert von Stade OFMconv (around 1210 – around 1264), author of the medieval world chronicle Annales Stadenses
Berthold von Regensburg (around 1210–1272), German penitential and crusade preacher
Roger Bacon (1214–1292 or 1294), English philosopher
Wilhelm von Rubruk (around 1215 or 1220–1270), Flemish explorer in Mongolia
Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1221–1274), Italian theologian, general minister, cardinal, saint, doctor of the church
Salimbene of Parma (1221–1288), Italian chronicler
Girolamo Masci d'Ascoli (1227–1292), Pope Nicholas IV from 1288 to 1292
Ramon Llull ( 1232-1316 ) Catalan philosopher, logician, grammarian and theologian
Iacopone da Todi (around 1235–1306), Italian poet
Juan Gil de Zámora (around 1250–1318), Spanish theologian and historian
Angelus Clarenus (Peter von Fossombrone) (around 1250–1337), head of the spirituals, chronicler
Ubertino da Casale (1259–1330), theologian and spokesman for the spiritual
Bonagratia of Bergamo (around 1265–1340), lawyer
Odorich von Portenau (between 1265 and 1286–1331), Austrian / Italian traveler to China
Johannes Duns Scotus (around 1266–1308), Scottish theologian and scholastic
Nikolaus von Lyra (around 1270 / 75-1340), Bible theologian
Michael von Cesena (1270–1342), Italian theologian, general minister of the Franciscans and convicted heretic
Alvarus Pelagius (1275–1350), Galician theologian and bishop in Portugal
Pietro Rainalducci (approx. 1275–1333), antipope Nicholas V.
Wilhelm von Ockham (approx. 1285–1349 or 1350), English philosopher and scholastic

14th Century

Nikolaus von Unhorst († 1400), Bohemian Bishop of Lavant
Bartholomäus von Pisa († approx. 1401), author of a biographical work on Francis
Berthold Schwarz (14th century), German alchemist and inventor
Johannes von Winterthur (around 1300–1348 or 1349), German chronicler of the Middle Ages
Nikola Tavelić (around 1340-1391), Croatian missionary and saint
Petrus Philargis (1340–1410), antipope Alexander V.
Johannes Sintram (* around 1380; † 1450), minorite and guardian in the Franciscan monastery in Würzburg , editor and author and editor of sermons
Bernardine of Siena OFM (1380–1444), Italian penitential preacher and saint
John of Capistrano (1386–1456), Italian traveling preacher
James of the Mark (1394–1476), preacher and inquisitor
Thomas von Frignano (around 1305-1381), cardinal and patriarch of Grado
Johannes Zatow († 1395), 1394/95 auxiliary bishop in the diocese of Schwerin

15th century

San Diego of Alcalá (1400–1463), Spanish lay brother and missionary of the Guanches, saint
Jacob of Zadar (around 1400–1490), Croatian blessed
Johannes Brugmann (around 1400–1473), people's preacher on the Lower Rhine
Johannes Bremer (15th century), theologian, from 1437 professor at Erfurt
Francesco della Rovere (1414–1484), Pope Sixtus IV. From 1471 to 1484
Pelbart of Timisoara (1435–1504), preacher and spiritual writer in the Kingdom of Hungary
Stephan Fridolin (around 1430–1498), German preacher and spiritual writer
Matthias Döring OFM, Provincial of the Saxon Franciscan Province from 1436 to 1461 , Minister General from 1443 to 1449
Dietrich Coelde OFM (around 1435–1515), Dutch writer
Gonzales Jiménez de Cisneros OFM (1436–1517), Spanish inquisitor and Archbishop of Toledo (Spain)
Bernardine von Feltre (1439–1494), Italian preacher and founder of charitable lending institutions
Luca Pacioli (around 1445–1514), mathematician
Marco Vigerio della Rovere OFMconv (1446–1516), Italian cardinal
Johann Spender OFMconv (around 1450–1503), auxiliary bishop in Cologne
Nikolaus Glasberger (also Glassberger) OFMobs (around 1450–1508), German historian
Jean Catilinet (around 1450 – around 1530), French provincial in Burgundy
Johannes Pauli (around 1455–1530), Alsatian-German poet
Paul Scriptoris (around 1460–1505), German theologian
Clemente Grosso della Rovere OFMconv (1462–1504), Italian cardinal
Johannes Baptist Righi (1469–1539), Italian hermit and saint
Antonius Broickwy (around 1470–1541), Dutch theologian and preacher
Martin de Valencia (around 1473–1534), Spanish missionary in Mexico
Antonio de Guevara (around 1480–1545), Spanish writer and historian, chronicler at the court of Charles V.
Augustin von Alveldt (around 1480 – around 1535), theologian and opponent of the Reformation
Sebastian Münster (1488–1552), German university scholar
Gerónimo de Aguilar (1489–1531), Spanish translator and interpreter in Mexico for Hernán Cortés
Francesco Torniello (around 1490–1589), mathematician and typographer
Mateo de Bascio OFMcap (1495–1552), Italian and founder of the Capuchin order
Alfonso de Castro (1495–1558), Spanish theologian and lawyer of late scholasticism
Marcos de Niza (around 1495–1558), Spanish explorer in Peru and Mexico
Lütke Namen (1497–1574), Frisian theologian and counter-reformer
Bernardino de Sahagún (1499–1590), Spanish missionary and ethnologist
Petrus von Alcantara (1499–1562), Spanish mystic, penitential preacher and religious reformer, saint
Juraj Dragišić (1445–1520), Croatian theologian, philosopher, bishop and titular archbishop

16th Century

Lambrecht Slagghert OFM († after 1533), chronicler of the Poor Clare monastery in Ribnitz
Heinrich Never OFM (around 1500–1553), ran the Reformation in northeast Germany from Wismar
Felix of Cantalice, OFMcap (1515–1587), saint
Salvator von Horta (1520–1567), Sardinian lay brother and saint
Arnoldus Mermannus (1520–1578), Flemish minorite from Alost, taught theology at the University of Leuven
Felice Peretti di Montalto (1521–1590), Pope Sixtus V from 1585 to 1590
Benedikt der Mohr OFMCap (1526–1589), African slave and monk in Sicily
Constanzo Porta OFM (1528 / 29-1601), Italian conductor and composer of the Renaissance
Antonino Natoli von Patti OFM (1539–1617), Minister Provincial in Sicily
Gonsalo Garcia OFM (1556-1597); Lay brother, martyr in Nagasaki , first Indian saint
Blasius Amon OFM (approx. 1558–1590), Tyrolean composer
Henri de Joyeuse OFMcap (1563–1608), French military leader and provincial minister of the Capuchins
Luis Sotelo (1574–1624), missionary in the Philippines and Japan, martyr
Père Joseph OFMcap (1577–1638), French theologian, advisor to Richelieu and head of the secret service
Fidelis von Sigmaringen OFMcap (1578–1622), Hohenzollern religious priest and martyr
Francesco Quaresmio OFM (1583-1656), orientalist
Wojciech Dembołęcki (1585-1645 or 1647), Polish composer
Valerian von Magnis OFMCap (1586–1661), Italian-born provincial of the Austrian-Bohemian Capuchins and diplomat

17th century

Joseph of Copertino (1603–1663), mystic, saint
Johannes Poncius OFMobs (1603–1672 or 1673), Irish scholar and representative of Scotism
Prokop von Templin OFMcap (1608–1680), writer and sacred song poet of the Baroque period
Giovanni Antonio Cavazzi da Montecuccolo OFMcap (1621–1678), Italian missionary in Angola and author of travelogues
Emerich Sinelli OFMcap (1622–1685), Bishop of Vienna
Louis Hennepin (1626–1705), Belgian missionary and explorer in North America
Antoine Legrand (1629–1699), Dutch missionary and author of philosophical and theological works
Marco d'Aviano OFMcap (1631–1699), preacher, papal legate during the second siege of Vienna by the Turks.
Francesco Antonio Urio (Milan, c.1631 - c.1719), Italian composer and conductor, whose music was greatly appreciated by GF Haendel.
Laurentius von Schnüffis OFMcap (1633–1702), court actor, later preacher, composer, poet and narrator
Martin von Cochem OFMcap (1634–1712), author of numerous religious books
Fortunatus Hueber OFM (1639–1706), German church historian, provincial and general definitor
Louis-François Duplessis de Mornay OFMcap (1663–1741), French bishop of Québec in Canada
Liberat Weiß (1675–1716), German missionary and martyr in Ethiopia
Leonhard von Porto Maurizio OFM (1676–1751), Italian folk preacher and saint
Bohuslav Matej Černohorský (1684–1742), Czech composer and organ teacher

18th century

Carlo Lodoli (1690–1761), Italian architectural theorist
Francesco Maria Zuccari (Dosolo, 1694–1788), Italian composer and conductor.
Giambattista Martini (1706–1784), Italian composer and music theorist
Junípero Serra (1713–1784), founder of San Francisco from Mallorca
Giuseppe Paolucci (Siena, May 25, 1726 - April 24, 1776), Italian composer, conductor and theorist.
Antônio de Sant'Ana Galvão (1739–1822), Brazilian saint
Marcellinus Molkenbuhr (1741–1825), German theologian, several times Provincial of Saxonia
Flavius Scheuermann (1744–?), German organist and composer
Eulogius Schneider (1756–1794), German professor of theology and later Jacobin in Strasbourg
Damaszen Himmelhaus OFM (1760–1822 in Paderborn), head of the normal school in Paderborn , school inspector in the Prince Diocese of Paderborn
Jean Baptiste Girard (Père Grégoire) (1765–1850), Swiss educator
Nicolas Custer (1766–1800), priest in the resistance against the French Revolution
Ludovico Micara OFMcap (1775–1847), Italian cardinal

19th century

Johann Christoph Bernsmeyer OFM (1777–1858), founder of the Mauritz Sisters
Peter Singer OFM (1810–1882), novice master and musician in Salzburg
Konrad von Parzham OFMCap (1818–1894), gate brother in Altötting and saint
Paschalis Gratze OFM (1819–1896), organ builder and master builder
Grgo Martić OFM (1822–1905), Bosnian-Croatian writer
Vinzenz Maria Gredler OFM (1823–1912), Tyrolean naturalist
Engelbert Kolland (1827–1860), Austrian missionary and martyr in Syria
Honorat Koźmiński OFMcap (1829–1916), Polish Capuchin
Peter (Jakobus) Wirth FFSC (1830–1871), founder of the Franciscan Brothers of the Holy Cross
Aloys Lauer OFM (1833–1901), Minister General
Gregorio María Aguirre y García OFM (1835–1913), Archbishop of Burgos and Toledo
Petrus von Hötzl OFM (1836–1902), Provincial of Bavaria , Bishop of Augsburg
Hilarius von Sexten OFMCap (1839–1899), Austrian moral theologian
Constantin Maria von Droste zu Hülshoff OFMConv (1841–1901), German Franciscan in the diocese of La Crosse
José Sebastião Neto OFMDisc (1841–1920), Spanish bishop in Africa and twelfth Patriarch of Lisbon
Konrad Eubel OFMconv (1842–1923), German historian
Innocent von Berzo OFMcap (1844–1890), Italian Capuchin, blessed.
Hartmann von An der Lan-Hochbrunn , OFM (1863–1914), composer, organist and conductor from South Tyrol
Jordan Mai OFM (1866–1922), German Franciscan brother, holy porter
Leopold Mandić OFMcap (1866–1942), Croatian saint
Heribert Holzapfel OFM (1868–1936), order historian, Provincial of Bavaria
Beda Kleinschmidt OFM (1867–1932), German church and art historian, Provincial of Saxonia
Wenceslaus Straussfeld OFM (1867–1933), German theologian and reformer of school education
Expeditus Schmidt OFM (1868–1939), German theater and literary historian and journalist
Elpidius Weiergans OFM (1873-1946), author and activist for the Kreuzbund (self-help group)
Dionysius Ortsiefer OFM (1874–1946), cathedral and radio preacher
Adalbert Schmücker OFM (1878–1927), German bishop of Tsinan
Cyrillus Jarre OFM (1878–1952), German missiologist and Archbishop of Tsinan
Hippolytus Böhlen OFM (1878–1950), German writer and playwright
Agostino Gemelli (1878–1959), Italian doctor and psychologist, founder of the Catholic University in Milan
Romanus Bange OFM (1880–1941), cathedral preacher and victim of National Socialism
Thaddäus Soiron OFM (1881–1957), priest and theologian
Leonhard Adler (1882–1965), Austro-German engineer, politician and worker priest
Ingbert Naab OFMCap (1885–1935), priest and early resistance fighter against the ideology of National Socialism
Heribert Jone OFMCap (1885–1967), priest, canon lawyer and moral theologian
Francesco Forgione OFMcap (1887–1968), called Padre Pio, stigmatized priest and saint
Petrus Karl Mangold OFM (1889–1942), priest and staunch critic of National Socialism
Daniel Henrique Hostin OFM (1890–1973), Bishop of Lages (Brazil)
Zyrill Fischer OFM (1892–1945), Austrian priest and author against National Socialism
Kilian Kirchhoff OFM (1892–1944), priest and Eastern Church researcher, victim of National Socialism
Maximilian Kolbe OFMConv (1894–1941), Polish priest, concentration camp victim and saint
Siegfried Schneider OFM (1894–1935), priest and author of Christian literature, referred to as the “crib father” because of its importance for the crib apostolate in the German-speaking world
Pierre Péteul OFMCap (1895–1990), savior for many French Jews during the National Socialist era
Autbert Stroick OFM (1896–1940), priest, church historian
Cajetan Baumann OFM (1899–1969), architect of churches and monasteries in the USA

20th century

José Calasanz Rosenhammer OFM (1900–2003), Austrian bishop in Bolivia
Wunibald Talleur OFM (1901–1975), German bishop in Brazil
Petrus Pavlicek (1902–1982), Austrian people's missionary
Thaddäus Brunke OFM (1903–1942), German priest and guardian in Fulda, victim of National Socialism
Archangelus Löslein OFMcap (1903–1982), founder of the Catholic youth camps in the diocese of Fulda
András Kun (executed in 1945), Minorite priest and mass murderer, member of the Hungarian Arrow Cross
Heinrich Suso Braun OFMCap (1904–1977), German philosopher and theologian and radio preacher
Wolfgang Piatkowski OFM (1907–1945), German lay brother, victim of National Socialism
Sophronius Clasen OFM (1909–1974), historian, source researcher and writer
Nicola Agnozzi OFMConv (1911–2008), Italian bishop of Ndola in Zambia and Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia in Italy
Elpidius Markötter OFM (1911–1942), German priest and master's degree in Warendorf, victim of National Socialism
Odorico Leovigildo Sáiz Pérez OFM (1912–2012), Spanish bishop of Requena in Peru
Herman Felhoelter OFM (1913–1950), American priest and field chaplain of the US Army in the Korean War
Kajetan Eßer OFM (1913–1978), German religious historian
Lothar Hardick OFM (1913–1999), German religious historian
Wolfgang Rosenbaum OFM (1915–1942), German lay brother, victim of National Socialism
Paschasius Rettler OFM (1915-2004), German bishop of Bacabal in Brazil
Gereon Goldmann OFM (1916–2003), German missionary in Japan and India
Bonifaz Madersbacher OFM (1919–2007), Tyrolean mission bishop in Bolivia
Ljudevit Rupčić OFM (1920–2003), Croatian author and exegete, translator of the New Testament into Croatian
Paulo Evaristo Cardinal Arns OFM (1921–2016), Archbishop Emeritus of São Paulo and human rights activist
Umberto Cardinal Betti OFM (1922–2009), Italian theologian
Aloísio Cardinal Lorscheider OFM (1924–2007), Archbishop of Aparecida in Brazil
Alexandre José Maria Cardinal dos Santos OFM (* 1924), retired Archbishop of Maputo in Mozambique
(Antonio) Eduardo Bösl OFM (1925–2000), German mission bishop in Bolivia
Giuseppe Germano Bernardini OFMcap (* 1928), Italian Archbishop of İzmir
Georg Langemeyer OFM (1929–2014), German religious philosopher and religious educator
Antonellus Elsässer OFM (1930–2014), German moral theologian
Andreas Müller (1931–2020), founder of the Franciscan Mission Center
José Higinio Gómez González OFM (1932–2008), Spanish Bishop of Lugo
Karl Suso Frank OFM (1933–2006), German church historian
Matthias Utters OFM (1934–1986), spiritual writer
Carlos Amigo Cardinal Vallejo OFM (* 1934), Archbishop Emeritus of Seville, Spain
Cláudio Cardinal Hummes OFM (* 1934), Brazilian Archbishop and Cardinal of the Curia
Beda Vickermann OFM (1934–2015), German missionary in South America
Lino Vombömmel OFM (1934–2007), Bishop of Santarém in Brazil
Herbert Schneider OFM (* 1938), Provincial of Colonia , general delegate in the order's administration in Rome, writer
Hermann Schalück OFM (* 1939), former General Minister of the Franciscans and President of the International Catholic Missionary Organization in Aachen
Laurentius Ulrich English OFM (* 1939), German visual artist
Wilhelm Egger OFMCap (1940–2008), Bishop of Bozen-Brixen
Hil Kabashi (* 1941), Apostolic Administrator for Southern Albania
Jean-Pierre Grallet OFM (* 1941), Archbishop of Strasbourg
Theofried Baumeister OFM (* 1941), German church historian and coptologist
Paul Hinder OFMCap (* 1942), Swiss Episcopal Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate Arabia
Richard Rohr (* 1943), American preacher and author of spiritual books
Helmut Schlegel OFM (* 1943), German hymn poet and religious writer
Jiří Paďour OFMCap (1943–2015), Bishop of Budweis
Charles Joseph Chaput OFMCap (* 1944), American theologian and Archbishop of Philadelphia
Gianfranco Gardin OFMConv (* 1944), Italian Archbishop of Curia and Secretary of the Congregation for Religious
Seán Patrick Cardinal O'Malley OFMCap (born 1944), Archbishop of Boston
Luís Flávio Cappio OFM (* 1946), Brazilian Bishop of Barra
Hans-Josef Klauck OFM (* 1946), German New Testament scholar, professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School in Chicago
Slavko Barbarić OFM (1946–2000), Croatian priest and author
Mauro Jöhri OFMCap (* 1947), current Minister General of the Capuchins, Swiss
Luigi Padovese OFMCap (1947–2010), Italian Titular Bishop and Vicar Apostolic of Anatolia (Turkey)
Johannes-Baptist Freyer OFM (* 1953), former rector of the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome
Franz Lackner OFM (* 1956), Archbishop of Salzburg
Stan Fortuna , CFR (* 1957), American priest, jazz musician and hip hopper
Paulus Terwitte OFMCap (* 1959), German author and columnist
Fridolin Ambongo Besungu OFMCap (* 1960), Bishop of Bokungu-Ikela, later Archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
John Stowe OFMConv (born 1966), Bishop of Lexington