Biblioteca Casanatense
Encyclopedia
The Biblioteca Casanatense (Casanata Library) is a library in Rome
, Italy
. The library is located at Via S. Ignazio, 52.
of the Monastery of Santa Maria sopra Minerva
in Rome. It was opened to the general public, according to the will of Cardinal Girolamo Casanata
(1620–1700). The library contained about 25 000 volumes. Since 1872 the library has been managed by the Italian government. In the present day the library is under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture
.
His chief service to learning, especially the theological sciences, was the Casanatense Library (Biblioteca Casanatense) founded and endowed by him. While living he had collected a library of about 25,000 volumes; this he left to the above-mentioned Dominican convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, together with an endowment fund of 80,000 scudi (almost as many dollars), to provide for the administration of the trust and for the acquisition of new books. In 1655 the same convent had inherited the library of Giambattista Castellani, chief physician of Gregory XV, with 12,000 scudi for the erection of a suitable edifice. Cardinal Casanata, moreover, ordered that the new library should be accessible to the public six hours daily, excepting feast-days. In addition to the library staff he provided for a college (theologi casanatenses) of six Dominicans of different nationalities (Italian, French, Spanish, German, English, Polish). Each of them must previously have received the degree of Doctor from one of the most famous universities of Europe. Aided by the resources of the library, they were to devote themselves to the defence and propagation of Catholic doctrine.
Moreover, two professors were to expound regularly the text of St. Thomas Aquinas
(Summa Theologica
and other writings). In other words, by means of the new library, he had created at Rome another centre of intellectual activity (see Minerva, 1892–93, II, 622). After the loss of the temporal power (1870) the library was declared national property, but the Dominicans were left in charge until 1884. Amongst the library's possessions are 64 Greek codices
(15 of them the gift of Casanata), and 230 Hebrew texts (rolls and books), among which are 5 Samaritan
codices. The incunabula (books printed before 1500) number 2036; there is also a large collection of Roman governmental proclamations (bandi, editti) from 1500 to 1870, comedies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, etc. Father Cloché, the General of the Dominicans, placed in the library a statue of Cardinal Casanata, the work of the sculptor Le Gros. An inscription records the formal permission of Clement XI to preserve there the books of what were considered heretical authors.
The Casanatense Library still preserves 1125 manuscript volumes of opinions, reports, and statements (voti, relazioni, posizioni) concerning matters treated in the various Congregations to which Casanata belonged. His curial duties did not prevent him from taking an interest in letters and the sciences. He was on friendly terms and corresponded with the learned men of his day. Among those whom he encouraged most was Zaccagni, whom he induced to publish a collection of materials for the ancient history of the Greek and Latin Churches, Collectanea monumentorum veterum Ecclesiæ græcæ et latinæ (Rome, 1694, 4to).
The library holds medieval manuscripts, including biblical manuscripts (e.g. Minuscule 395
).
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, 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...
. The library is located at Via S. Ignazio, 52.
History
The library was established in 1701 by the DominicansDominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
of the Monastery of Santa Maria sopra Minerva
Santa Maria sopra Minerva
The Basilica of Saint Mary Above Minerva is a titular minor basilica and one of the most important churches of the Roman Catholic Dominican order in Rome, Italy. The church, located in the Piazza della Minerva in the Campus Martius region, is considered the only Gothic church in Rome. It houses...
in Rome. It was opened to the general public, according to the will of Cardinal Girolamo Casanata
Girolamo Casanata
Girolamo Casanata was an Italian Cardinal, b. Naples, 13 July 1620; d. Rome, 3 March 1700.-Biography:His father, Tommaso Casanatta, was a member of the supreme council of the Kingdom of Naples. Girolamo studied law at the university of his native town and practised in the courts for some time...
(1620–1700). The library contained about 25 000 volumes. Since 1872 the library has been managed by the Italian government. In the present day the library is under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture
Minister for Cultural Assets and Activities
The Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities is the ministry of culture of the Republic of Italy. It is based at 27 via del Collegio Romano, Rome, and the current minister is Lorenzo Ornaghi....
.
His chief service to learning, especially the theological sciences, was the Casanatense Library (Biblioteca Casanatense) founded and endowed by him. While living he had collected a library of about 25,000 volumes; this he left to the above-mentioned Dominican convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, together with an endowment fund of 80,000 scudi (almost as many dollars), to provide for the administration of the trust and for the acquisition of new books. In 1655 the same convent had inherited the library of Giambattista Castellani, chief physician of Gregory XV, with 12,000 scudi for the erection of a suitable edifice. Cardinal Casanata, moreover, ordered that the new library should be accessible to the public six hours daily, excepting feast-days. In addition to the library staff he provided for a college (theologi casanatenses) of six Dominicans of different nationalities (Italian, French, Spanish, German, English, Polish). Each of them must previously have received the degree of Doctor from one of the most famous universities of Europe. Aided by the resources of the library, they were to devote themselves to the defence and propagation of Catholic doctrine.
Moreover, two professors were to expound regularly the text of St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
(Summa Theologica
Summa Theologica
The Summa Theologiæ is the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas , and although unfinished, "one of the classics of the history of philosophy and one of the most influential works of Western literature." It is intended as a manual for beginners in theology and a compendium of all of the main...
and other writings). In other words, by means of the new library, he had created at Rome another centre of intellectual activity (see Minerva, 1892–93, II, 622). After the loss of the temporal power (1870) the library was declared national property, but the Dominicans were left in charge until 1884. Amongst the library's possessions are 64 Greek codices
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
(15 of them the gift of Casanata), and 230 Hebrew texts (rolls and books), among which are 5 Samaritan
Samaritan
The Samaritans are an ethnoreligious group of the Levant. Religiously, they are the adherents to Samaritanism, an Abrahamic religion closely related to Judaism...
codices. The incunabula (books printed before 1500) number 2036; there is also a large collection of Roman governmental proclamations (bandi, editti) from 1500 to 1870, comedies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, etc. Father Cloché, the General of the Dominicans, placed in the library a statue of Cardinal Casanata, the work of the sculptor Le Gros. An inscription records the formal permission of Clement XI to preserve there the books of what were considered heretical authors.
The Casanatense Library still preserves 1125 manuscript volumes of opinions, reports, and statements (voti, relazioni, posizioni) concerning matters treated in the various Congregations to which Casanata belonged. His curial duties did not prevent him from taking an interest in letters and the sciences. He was on friendly terms and corresponded with the learned men of his day. Among those whom he encouraged most was Zaccagni, whom he induced to publish a collection of materials for the ancient history of the Greek and Latin Churches, Collectanea monumentorum veterum Ecclesiæ græcæ et latinæ (Rome, 1694, 4to).
Collection
Today the Library's collection contains approximately 400 000 volumes, about 6 000 manuscripts, 2 200 incunabula.The library holds medieval manuscripts, including biblical manuscripts (e.g. Minuscule 395
Minuscule 395
Minuscule 395 , ε 216 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Paleographically it has been assigned to the 12th century.It contains marginalia.- Description :...
).
Further reading
- Cavarra, A. A. ed. Biblioteca Casanatense, Roma. Guida breve, Firenze, Nardini, 2005.
- De Gregorio, V. La Biblioteca Casanatense di Roma, Napoli 1993
- De Gregorio, V. Casanatense e dintorni..., Napoli 1997.
- Moricca Caputo, A. Catalogo dei manoscritti della Biblioteca Casanatense, Roma, 1949
- Panetta, M. La "libraria" di Mattia Casanate, Roma, Bulzoni, 1988
External links
- Biblioteca Casanatense official website
- Biblioteca Casanatense at the Fondazione Istituto Internazionale
- Direttori della Biblioteca Casanatense di Roma