Antonio Maria Ceriani
Encyclopedia
Antonio Maria Ceriani was an Italian prelate, Syriacist
, and scholar.
Ceriani was born at Uboldo
, in Lombardy
. He was ordained
a priest
for his home diocese of Milan in 1852 and the same year was appointed keeper of the catalogue of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana (Ambrosian Library) at Milan. From 1857 he was one of the Doctors of the Ambrosiana of which in January 1870 he became Prefect
, a post he kept until his death. Among his additional charges, from 1855 he was professor
of oriental languages in the diocesan Major Seminary
and from 1872 professor of paleography. From the 1880s he was in scholarly contact with the English medical doctor turned liturgical scholar
, John Wickham Legg
.
Ceriani discovered the pseudepigraphal apocrypha
entitled the Assumption of Moses
(or the Testament of Moses in modern editions)—a Jewish work that survived in one poorly preserved sixth-century Latin palimpsest
in the Ambrosian Library. He published the work in 1861. The edition presented by The Online Critical Pseudepigrapha is "identical to Ceriani's excellent transcription of the manuscript.". He also discovered and published in 1866 another apocrypha
l text, the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch.
Ceriani died at Milan in 1907, leaving as his principal scholarly heir Achille Ratti, later to become Pope
Pius XI.
Syriacist
A Syriacist or Syrianist is a specialist in Syriac language and Christianity. Specifically, British, French, and German scholars of the 18th and 19th centuries who were involved in the study of Syriac/Aramaic language and literature were commonly known by this designation, at a time when Hebrew was...
, and scholar.
Ceriani was born at Uboldo
Uboldo
Uboldo is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 20 km northwest of Milan and about 25 km southeast of Varese.-External links:*...
, in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
. He was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
for his home diocese of Milan in 1852 and the same year was appointed keeper of the catalogue of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana (Ambrosian Library) at Milan. From 1857 he was one of the Doctors of the Ambrosiana of which in January 1870 he became Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
, a post he kept until his death. Among his additional charges, from 1855 he was professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of oriental languages in the diocesan Major Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
and from 1872 professor of paleography. From the 1880s he was in scholarly contact with the English medical doctor turned liturgical scholar
Liturgics
Liturgics is the academic discipline dedicated to the study of liturgy. Liturgics scholars typically specialize in a single approach drawn from another scholarly field. The most common sub-disciplines are: history or church history, theology, and anthropology...
, John Wickham Legg
John Wickham Legg
John Wickham Legg was the third son of the printer and bookseller George Legg, and was born at Alverstoke near Portsmouth in Hampshire, England, on 28 December 1843...
.
Ceriani discovered the pseudepigraphal apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
entitled the Assumption of Moses
Assumption of Moses
The Assumption of Moses is a Jewish apocryphal pseudepigraphical work. It is known from a single sixth-century incomplete manuscript in Latin that was discovered by Antonio Ceriani in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan in the mid-nineteenth century and published by him in 1861.-Identification:The...
(or the Testament of Moses in modern editions)—a Jewish work that survived in one poorly preserved sixth-century Latin palimpsest
Palimpsest
A palimpsest is a manuscript page from a scroll or book from which the text has been scraped off and which can be used again. The word "palimpsest" comes through Latin palimpsēstus from Ancient Greek παλίμψηστος originally compounded from πάλιν and ψάω literally meaning “scraped...
in the Ambrosian Library. He published the work in 1861. The edition presented by The Online Critical Pseudepigrapha is "identical to Ceriani's excellent transcription of the manuscript.". He also discovered and published in 1866 another apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
l text, the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch.
Ceriani died at Milan in 1907, leaving as his principal scholarly heir Achille Ratti, later to become Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius XI.
External links
- Ceriani, Antonio Maria Biography—Associazione Italiana Biblioteche