Lorenzo Scupoli - The Spiritual Fight

Lorenzo Scupoli (Italian Lorenzo) born and baptized Francesco (Otranto, 1530 circa - Naples, November 28, 1610) was an Italian priest, religious and writer, belonging to the Order of the Theatine Regular Clerics. He wrote The Spiritual Combat, one of the classics of Catholic spirituality. He was a disciple of St. Andrew Aveline.He took the name Lorenzo when he professed perpetual vows in the Order of the Theatines, which he had entered in 1569. He was ordained a priest in 1577 and exercised his priestly ministry in Venice, Milan and Rome among other cities in Italy. He met Francis de Sales in Padua, while still a student. His work The Spiritual Combat was warmly recommended by Francis de Sales. In 1585 he was unjustly accused of having violated the rules of his religious order. He was imprisoned for a year and after his release, he was forbidden to exercise the priesthood and forced to do manual labor in the convent where he lived. He endured everything with meekness and humility as an offering to God. His absolution came in 1610, close to his death. The first edition of the spiritual combat was in 1589, and by the time of his death it had been translated into several languages and reprinted several times.