Antonio da Fonseca Soares (Antonio das Chagas) (25 June 1631 – 20 October 1682) was a Portuguese Franciscan

Franciscan

Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....

 and ascetical writer.

Life

Chagas was born at Vidigueira

Vidigueira

Vidigueira is a municipality in Portugal, with a total area of 316.0 km² and a total population of 6,019 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of four parishes, and is located in the District of Beja....

. Having entered the Portuguese army as a common soldier, he was forced to flee to Bahia

Bahia

Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...

 in Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

, as the result of a duel. There he led a dissolute life, but was converted through the writings of Louis of Granada

Louis of Granada

Louis of Granada was a Dominican theologian, writer, and preacher.- Biography :He was born of poor parents at Granada. At the age of nineteen he was received into the Dominican Order in the convent of Santa Cruz, Granada. His philosophical studies once over, he was chosen by his superiors to...

. Having returned to Portugal, he continued to lead his former life of dissipation, until in 1662 he was taken with a grievous illness. On his recovery he hastened to fulfil his promise, and was admitted into the Franciscan Order in May of the same year, receiving in religion the name of Antonio das Chagas. He died at Torres Vedras

Torres Vedras

Torres Vedras is a city and a municipality in the district of Lisbon, Portugal, about 50 km north of Lisbon. It belongs to the Oeste subregion and the Centro region.The municipality covers an area of 405.89 km² distributed over 20 freguesias...

, leaving a great part of his writings still unpublished.

Works

He became famous on account of his poetical and ascetical writings, in which he combined erudition with elegance of style.

The following were published posthumously:

• "Faiscas de amor divino e lagrimas da alma" (Lisbon, 1683);
• "Obras espirituaes" (Lisbon, 1684–1687);
• "O Padre nosso commentado" (Lisbon, 1688);
• "Espelho do Espirito em que deve verse e comporse a Olma" etc. (Lisbon, 1683);
• "Escola da penitencia e flagello dos peccadores" (Lisbon, 1687);
• "Sermoés Genuinos" etc. (Lisbon, 1690);
• "Cartas espirituaes" (Lisbon, 1684);
• "Ramilhete espiritual" etc. (Lisbon, 1722).

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia article