Giacomo Gaetani Stefaneschi

[1] Stefaneschi received his early education at Rome, and was sent to the University of Paris to pursue higher studies.

He was created cardinal-deacon of the titular Church of San Giorgio in Velabro on 17 December 1295 by Pope Boniface VIII, who also sent him as legate to Cesena, Forlì, Faenza and Bologna in 1296 to suppress civil disturbances.

In 1319, Stefaneschi united the three parts and sent them, along with a dedicatory epistle, to the prior and the monks of San Spirito at Sulmona, the mother-house of the Celestines.

It was published along with a prose introduction giving details on Stefaneschi's life, and first edited by Papebroch, Acta Sanctorum, IV, May, 436-483.

The Catholic Encyclopedia describes Opus Metricum as an important historical resource but "devoid of all literary excellence" and "extremely clumsy and barbarous".