Aloysius Lilius
Encyclopedia
Aloysius Lilius also variously referred to as Luigi Lilio, Luigi Giglio, or Aluise Baldassar Lilio, was an Italian
doctor
, astronomer
, philosopher and chronologist
, and also the "primary author" who provided the proposal that (after modifications) became the basis of the Gregorian Calendar
reform of 1582.
The crater Lilius
on the Moon
is named after him. In computer science, the Lilian date
is the number of days since adoption of the Gregorian Calendar, on 15 October 1582.
, Italy
, from Cirò
(or Zirò). He studied medicine and astronomy in Naples
, after which he served Earl Carafa
. He settled in Verona and died in 1576. Although he was still alive at the time when his proposal was presented at Rome, it does not seem that he made the presentation, it was handled by his brother Antonio, also a physician and astronomer.
He is primarily known as the "first author" of the Gregorian Calendar
: he wrote the proposal on which (after modifications) the calendar reform was based. Lilio's brother Antonio presented the manuscript to Pope Gregory XIII
; it was passed to the calendar reform commission in 1575. The commission issued a printed summary entitled Compendium novae rationis restituendi kalendarium (Compendium of a New Plan for the Restitution of the Calendar), printed 1577 and circulated within the Roman Catholic world in early 1578 as a consultation document. Lilio's manuscript itself is not known to have survived; the printed 'Compendium' is the nearest known source for the details it contained.
The processes of consultation and deliberation meant that the reform to the calendar
did not occur until 1582, six years after the death of Luigi Lilio in 1576. The reform had by then received some modifications in points of detail by the reform commission, in which one of the leading members was Christopher Clavius
; Clavius afterwards wrote defences and an explanation of the reformed calendar, including an emphatic acknowledgement of Lilio's work, especially for his provision of a useful reform for the lunar cycle: "We owe much gratitude and praise to Luigi Giglio who contrived such an ingenious Cycle of Epact
s which, inserted in the calendar, always shows the new moon and so can be easily adapted to any length of the year, if only at the right moments the due adjustment is applied." The papal bull
("Inter gravissimas
") was issued on February 24, 1582, ordering Catholic clergy to adopt the new calendar, and exhorting Catholic sovereigns to do the same.
Year 2010 is the 500th year since the Astronomer birth date and several activities have been organized (by Italian astronomers) in order to recognize the great work performed by Luigi Lilio.
In particular, in Torretta di Crucoli(Crotone, Italy), a new astronomical group has been created and entitled to Luigi Lilio: Circolo Astrofili Luigi Lilio Torretta (C.A.L.L.T.)
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
, philosopher and chronologist
Chronology
Chronology is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time, such as the use of a timeline or sequence of events. It is also "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events".Chronology is part of periodization...
, and also the "primary author" who provided the proposal that (after modifications) became the basis of the Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
reform of 1582.
The crater Lilius
Lilius (crater)
Lilius is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. It lies to the north of the crater Zach, and south-southwest of Cuvier. Just to the southeast is the slightly larger Jacobi...
on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is named after him. In computer science, the Lilian date
Lilian date
A Lilian date is the number of days since the beginning of the Gregorian Calendar on October 15, 1582, regarded as Lilian date 1. It is named for Aloysius Lilius who devised the Gregorian Calendar. It was invented by Bruce G. Ohms of IBM in 1986....
is the number of days since adoption of the Gregorian Calendar, on 15 October 1582.
Life and work
Not much is known about the early life of Lilius/Lilio/Giglio. It is known that he came from CalabriaCalabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, from Cirò
Cirò
Cirò can refer to:*Cirò, Calabria, Italian comune in the province of Crotone*Cirò Marina, Italian comune in the province of Crotone*Cirò , wine made in the environs of Cirò...
(or Zirò). He studied medicine and astronomy in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, after which he served Earl Carafa
Carafa
Carafa is the name of a noble Neapolitan family of Italian nobles, clergy, and men of arts.* Cardinal Oliviero Carafa, , uncle of Paul IV...
. He settled in Verona and died in 1576. Although he was still alive at the time when his proposal was presented at Rome, it does not seem that he made the presentation, it was handled by his brother Antonio, also a physician and astronomer.
He is primarily known as the "first author" of the Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
: he wrote the proposal on which (after modifications) the calendar reform was based. Lilio's brother Antonio presented the manuscript to Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
; it was passed to the calendar reform commission in 1575. The commission issued a printed summary entitled Compendium novae rationis restituendi kalendarium (Compendium of a New Plan for the Restitution of the Calendar), printed 1577 and circulated within the Roman Catholic world in early 1578 as a consultation document. Lilio's manuscript itself is not known to have survived; the printed 'Compendium' is the nearest known source for the details it contained.
The processes of consultation and deliberation meant that the reform to the calendar
Calendar reform
A calendar reform is any significant revision of a calendar system. The term sometimes is used instead for a proposal to switch to a different calendar.Most calendars have several rules which could be altered by reform:...
did not occur until 1582, six years after the death of Luigi Lilio in 1576. The reform had by then received some modifications in points of detail by the reform commission, in which one of the leading members was Christopher Clavius
Christopher Clavius
Christopher Clavius was a German Jesuit mathematician and astronomer who was the main architect of the modern Gregorian calendar...
; Clavius afterwards wrote defences and an explanation of the reformed calendar, including an emphatic acknowledgement of Lilio's work, especially for his provision of a useful reform for the lunar cycle: "We owe much gratitude and praise to Luigi Giglio who contrived such an ingenious Cycle of Epact
Epact
The epact was originally defined as the age of the moon in days on January 1, and occurs primarily in connection with tabular methods for determining the date of Easter...
s which, inserted in the calendar, always shows the new moon and so can be easily adapted to any length of the year, if only at the right moments the due adjustment is applied." The papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
("Inter gravissimas
Inter gravissimas
Inter gravissimas was a papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII on February 24, 1582. The document reformed the Julian calendar and created a new calendar which came to be called the Gregorian calendar, which is used in most countries today.-Description:...
") was issued on February 24, 1582, ordering Catholic clergy to adopt the new calendar, and exhorting Catholic sovereigns to do the same.
Year 2010 is the 500th year since the Astronomer birth date and several activities have been organized (by Italian astronomers) in order to recognize the great work performed by Luigi Lilio.
In particular, in Torretta di Crucoli(Crotone, Italy), a new astronomical group has been created and entitled to Luigi Lilio: Circolo Astrofili Luigi Lilio Torretta (C.A.L.L.T.)