Destefanis' other names include Bonifacije Stefanić Drakolica, Darcoliza, Drakolica, Crassa, Grassa, Ragusinus, Stephani, Drkoličić and Stjepanović.
Destefanis was ordained a priest in the
Order of Friars Minor.[1] Destefanis participated at the
Council of Trent[4] In 1551-1559 and 1564, he was Custodian of the
Holy Land. Allegedly, he participated in the last time the
Holy Sepulchre was opened in 1555. He obtained permission to restore parts of the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre and to build a completely new
edicule. This was a major restoration project, and the Franciscan left a detailed description of the work carried out.[5] On 17 Nov 1564, he was appointed by
Pope Pius IV as
Bishop of Ston.[1]
In 1580 Destefanis, accompanied by
Bartol Sfondrati, was appointed as
apostolic visitor and
delegate to Dalmatia, Herzegovina, Bosnia, Croatia, Vallachia, Slavonia, Serbia and other European territories governed by the
Ottomans.[6] Before this trip, based on the Pope's instructions, Destefanis visited the Franciscan province in Bosnia.[7] On 15 December 1580 Destefanis reported to Rome that he met the bishop of Smederevo, fra
Nikola Ugrinović, during his journey to Bosnia.[8] Since there were only five Catholic families in Smederevo, Destefanis proposed to move Ugrinović to Skradin.[9]
He served as Bishop of Ston until he died in 1582.[1]
Works
De perenni Cultu Terrae Sanctae (1555), Venice 1572
Liber De perenni Cultu Terrae Sanctae Et De Fructuosa eius Peregrinatione, Venice 1573
^(
Zorić 2002, p. 38): "Godine 1580. apostolski je vizitator i delegat za Dalmaciju, Hercegovinu, Bosnu, Hrvatsku, Slavoniju, Srbiju, Ugarsku, Vlašku i druge europske krajeve pod turskom vlašću, a pratilac mu je dubrovački isusovac Bartol Sfondrati."
^(
Podružnica 2002, p. 182) "Godine 1580/81. je Bonifacije Drakolica iz Dubrovnika, opservantski franjevac, nekadašnji gvardijan u Jeruzalemu i stonski biskup, otputovao u tursku Ugarsku nakon što je po papinom nalogu posjetio bosansku franjevačku provinciju. "
^(
Posilović 2001, p. 107): Dogodilo se je to nakon što je stonski biskup fra Bonifacije Drakolica u svojstvu apostolskog vizitatora obišao Bosnu i Hercegovinu pa 15. prosinca 1580. izvjestio crkvena nadleštva u Rimu da je sreo i smederevskog biskupa fra Nikolu Ugrinovića (1565-1588)
^(
Hoško 2001, p. 35): "... fra Nikolu Ugrinovića (1565.-1588.) koji u Smederevu ima samo sedam katoličkih kuća. Stoga Drakolica predlaže da Sveta Stolica premjesti Ugrinovića u Skradin.3 U Rimu su samo djelomično prihvatili Drakoličin prijedlog jer je Ugrinović i ..."