Tommaso Maria Ruffo

Servant of God

Tommaso Maria Ruffo

OP
Archbishop of Bari-Canosa
Portrait of Monsignor Tommaso Maria Ruffo executed by Giorgio Esposito
SeeBari-Canosa
Installed10 April 1684
Term ended30 April 1691
Orders
Ordination1644
Consecration16 April 1684
Personal details
BornGiacomo Ruffo
6 December 1618
Bagnara Calabra, Reggio Calabria, Italy
Died30 April 1691 (aged 72)
Bari, Italy
BuriedCathedral of Saint Sabinus
NationalityItalian
DenominationCatholic Church

Tommaso Maria Ruffo, OP (6 December 1618 – 30 April 1691) was an Italian Dominican friar and prelate who served as Archbishop of Bari-Canosa (1684–1691).

Biography

Ruffo was born as Giacomo on 6 December 1618 in Bagnara Calabra to Duke Francesco Ruffo, Prince of Sant' Antimo, and Duchess Giovanna di Santa Croce.[1]

He was educated according to his status and, while undergoing training, he met the Dominican Order which he joined. He professed his vows on 22 July 1635 in the monastery of San Domenico Maggiore in Naples, where he lived for three years and also distinguished himself by providing excellent instruction on logic.[2]

After being ordained in 1644, Ruffo was elected Provincial Prior of southern Italy at just 34 years of age. He was appointed Archbishop of Bari-Canosa on 10 April 1684 by Pope Innocent XI.[3] He carried out an extraordinary reforming effort in Apulia that was centered on putting the Council of Trent's regulations into practice. He also gave important indications both for the life of the female monasteries of the city, the training of candidates for the priesthood, and the expansion of the seminaries.[2]

He died on 30 April 1691 on Bari, Italy. On his deathbed, he ordered the proceeds from the sale of his silverware to be distributed to the poor.[3]

His cause for beatification was opened on 3 August 1745.[4]

Artistic Representations

In 2018, artist Giorgio Esposito created a portrait of Monsignor Tommaso Maria Ruffo, who served as Archbishop of Bari from 1684 to 1691. The painting, executed in oil on canvas and measuring 80×100 cm, is currently preserved in the Church of San Giuseppe in Piazza Chiurlia, Bari.

The portrait depicts Monsignor Ruffo in a solemn pose, highlighting his role as a shepherd and reformer of the local Church. Through meticulous details and a masterful use of light, Esposito emphasizes the spiritual authority and dedication of the prelate, paying tribute to his efforts in renewing ecclesiastical discipline and improving clerical education. The placement of the artwork in the Church of San Giuseppe honors Monsignor Ruffo's historical and spiritual connection to the city of Bari, where he served faithfully until his death in 1691.

References

  1. ^ Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1913). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi. Vol. V. Monasterii Sumptibus et typis librariae Regensbergianae. pp. 114, with note 3. Ruffo belonged to the family of the Dukes of Bagnara.
  2. ^ a b Manuela Antonacci (24 February 2019). "Monsignor Tommaso Maria Ruffo, teacher of faith even for today". Europa Cristiana.
  3. ^ a b Filippo Caraffa e Giuseppe Morelli (curr.), Bibliotheca Sanctorum (BSS), 12 voll., Istituto Giovanni XXIII nella Pontificia Università Lateranense, Roma 1961-1969.
  4. ^ Cleophas Connolly, OP (27 March 2016). "Dominican Causes for Canonization and Beatification" (PDF). Dominicana Journal.
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