Juan de Lugo

John de Lugo (also Juan de Lugo y de Quiroga) (1583–1660), a Spanish Jesuit and Cardinal, was an eminent theologian of the Renaissance.

He was born at Madrid in November, 1583, though he used to call himself a "Hispalensis", because his family seat was at Seville. Both his father (also named Juan de Lugo) and his mother (Teresa de Quiroga, whose family name he bore for a time as was custom for the second son) were of noble birth. At the age of three years he could read printed or written books; at ten, he received the tonsure; at fourteen he defended a public thesis in logic and at about the same time was appointed by King Philip II of Spain to an ecclesiastical benefice which he retained until he became a priest in 1618.

Like his elder brother, Francis, he was sent by his father to the University of Salamanca to study law. But Francis entered the Society of Jesus where he became a distinguished theologian and de Lugo soon desired to follow his brother. He twice asked his father for permission to join the order but, having failed to receive it, joined in 1603 without it.

After completing his studies he was appointed professor of philosophy at Medina del Campo in 1611 and later professor of theology at Valladolid where he taught for five years. His fame as a professor of theology attracted the attention of the General of the Jesuits, Mutius Vitelleschi and de Lugo was summoned to Rome where he arrived early in June 1621.

It is said that his lectures even before being printed were spread by copyists in other countries. When the General of the Society ordered him to print his works, he obeyed and without help had the material for the first three volumes prepared within five years (1633, 1636, 1638). When the fourth volume, De justitia et jure, was about to be published, his superiors thought it proper that he should dedicate it to Pope Urban VIII; he had to present it himself to the pope, who was so much surprised and delighted by the theologian's learning that he frequently consulted him, and in 1643, created him a cardinal, a position he accepted with reluctance. The fine carriage sent by the Barberini to bring him as a cardinal to the pope's palace, he called his hearse. This put an end to de Lugo's teaching; but several of his works were published after 1643.

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