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 Puglia 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]
^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.
^ abFilippo Caraffa e Giuseppe Morelli (curr.), Bibliotheca Sanctorum (BSS), 12 voll., Istituto Giovanni XXIII nella Pontificia Università Lateranense, Roma 1961-1969.
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