Constantino Cajetan
Encyclopedia
Constantino Cajetan was a Benedictine
scholar.
Although his brothers, Ottavio and Alfonso, joined the Society of Jesus
, Constantino became a Benedictine (October 29, 1586) at San Nicolò d'Arena in Catania
. He was soon called to Rome by Pope Clement VIII
, who confided to the promising young scholar an edition of the works of St. Peter Damian
, which he executed in four folio volumes (Rome, 1606 et saep.). His constant and successful researches in Roman archives won him the friendship of Cardinal Baronius, through whom he was made titular Abbot of San Baronzio in the Diocese of Pistoia, and custodian of the Vatican Library
. The latter important office he held under four popes until his death. Baronius was much indebted to him in the composition of his Annales Ecclesiastici, and more than once praised Cajetan's thorough knowledge of the Roman archives.
He was a tireless worker in the field of ecclesiastical history; the long list of his writings may be seen in Magnoald Ziegelbauer
. Among them are a life of the liturgist, St. Amalarius of Trier
(Rome, 1612), annotated lives of St. Isadore of Seville, St. Ildephoses of Toledo, Cardinal Gregory of Ostia, notes on the life of St. Anselm
, an annotated edition of the Vita Gelasii II by Pandolfo of Pisa, treatises on the primacy and the Roman episcopate of St. Peter. He was persuaded that St. Gregory the Great
was a genuine disciple of St. Benedict
, and wrote in defense of this thesis De S. Gregorii monachatu benedictino libri duo (Salzburg, 1620). The authorship of the Imitation of Christ
interested him also, and he several times supported the Benedictine Jean Gerson
.
His ardor for the glory of the Benedictine Order troubled his judgment occasionally, says Father Hurter, e.g. when he claimed for it such persons as St. Columbanus of Bobbio, St. Thomas Aquinas
, St. Francis of Assisi
, St. Ignatius Loyola. He inaugurated the controversy concerning the authorship of the work known as the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius by his book De religiosâ S. Ignatii, sive S. Enneconis fundatoris soc. Jesu per Benedictinos institutione, deque libello exercitiorum ejusdem ab Exercitatorio Cisnerii desumpto (Venice, 1641), in which he claimed priority for the Exercitatorium Spirituale of Garcias de Cisneros
, Benedictine Abbot of Santa Maria de Montserrat
(1455–1510). Both this work and the Achates, or reply of Giovanni Rho, S.J., were placed on the Index of Forbidden Books
in 1646.
Cajetan was a collector of books, and at his death left his fortune to the Bibliotheca Aniciana, founded by him in honor of the family of St. Gregory the Great (Gens Anicia); the books have since been divided between the Propaganda Library and that of the Sapienza
, or Roman University. To many his chief title to fame will rest on his claim to be considered the first promoter, if not the founder, of the Propaganda College at Rome. He had long hoped to found at Rome a Collegium Gregorianum de propagandâ fide, in which young Benedictines might be trained for foreign missions, after the spirit and teachings of St. Gregory the Great, Apostle of the Anglo-Saxons. He really opened a house of studies for this purpose in the monastery of San Benedetto in Piscinula at Rome, and this may be looked on as historically the germ of Propaganda. His idea was taken up seriously by Pope Gregory XV
(1621–23), who enlarged and modified until it took shape as the "Collegium [later Urbanum] de propagandâ fide". The pioneer labors of Dom Cajetan received due recognition by his nomination as first consultor of the new college.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
scholar.
Although his brothers, Ottavio and Alfonso, joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, Constantino became a Benedictine (October 29, 1586) at San Nicolò d'Arena in Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
. He was soon called to Rome by Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
, who confided to the promising young scholar an edition of the works of St. Peter Damian
Peter Damian
Saint Peter Damian, O.S.B. was a reforming monk in the circle of Pope Gregory VII and a cardinal. In 1823, he was declared a Doctor of the Church...
, which he executed in four folio volumes (Rome, 1606 et saep.). His constant and successful researches in Roman archives won him the friendship of Cardinal Baronius, through whom he was made titular Abbot of San Baronzio in the Diocese of Pistoia, and custodian of the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
. The latter important office he held under four popes until his death. Baronius was much indebted to him in the composition of his Annales Ecclesiastici, and more than once praised Cajetan's thorough knowledge of the Roman archives.
He was a tireless worker in the field of ecclesiastical history; the long list of his writings may be seen in Magnoald Ziegelbauer
Magnoald Ziegelbauer
Magnoald Ziegelbauer was a Benedictine monk and an ecclesiastical historian.-Life:He took vows at the Benedictine monastery of Zwiefalten on 21 November 1707, where he was ordained priest on 21 March 1713 and where he became professor of theology...
. Among them are a life of the liturgist, St. Amalarius of Trier
Amalarius of Trier
Amalhar or Amalarius Fortunatus was the third Archbishop of Trier from 809 until 814.Amalhar was a pupil of Alcuin of York. In 809, Charlemagne appointed him to the see of Trier and in 813 he was sent as the chief Frankish ambassador to the court of Michael I Rhangabes at Constantinople. On...
(Rome, 1612), annotated lives of St. Isadore of Seville, St. Ildephoses of Toledo, Cardinal Gregory of Ostia, notes on the life of St. Anselm
Anselm
Anselm may refer to any of several historical figures, or their works:*Saint Anselm, Duke of Friuli, 8th-century Abbot of Nonantula*Anselm of Farfa , abbot*Anselm II *Anselm of Liège , chronicler...
, an annotated edition of the Vita Gelasii II by Pandolfo of Pisa, treatises on the primacy and the Roman episcopate of St. Peter. He was persuaded that St. Gregory the Great
Pope Gregory I
Pope Gregory I , better known in English as Gregory the Great, was pope from 3 September 590 until his death...
was a genuine disciple of St. Benedict
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
, and wrote in defense of this thesis De S. Gregorii monachatu benedictino libri duo (Salzburg, 1620). The authorship of the Imitation of Christ
Imitation of Christ
In Christian theology, the Imitation of Christ is the practice of following the example of Jesus. In Eastern Christianity the term Life in Christ is sometimes used for the same concept....
interested him also, and he several times supported the Benedictine Jean Gerson
Jean Gerson
Jean Charlier de Gerson , French scholar, educator, reformer, and poet, Chancellor of the University of Paris, a guiding light of the conciliar movement and one of the most prominent theologians at the Council of Constance, was born at the village of Gerson, in the bishopric of Reims in...
.
His ardor for the glory of the Benedictine Order troubled his judgment occasionally, says Father Hurter, e.g. when he claimed for it such persons as St. Columbanus of Bobbio, 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...
, St. Francis of Assisi
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
, St. Ignatius Loyola. He inaugurated the controversy concerning the authorship of the work known as the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius by his book De religiosâ S. Ignatii, sive S. Enneconis fundatoris soc. Jesu per Benedictinos institutione, deque libello exercitiorum ejusdem ab Exercitatorio Cisnerii desumpto (Venice, 1641), in which he claimed priority for the Exercitatorium Spirituale of Garcias de Cisneros
Garcias de Cisneros
Garcias de Cisneros was the abbot at the abbey of Montserrat in Spain.As one of the early Spanish mystics, he was a pioneer in the use of meditative techniques, having been influenced both by the methodical prayers of the Devotio Moderna group, and the writings of Louis Barbo.His book...
, Benedictine Abbot of Santa Maria de Montserrat
Santa Maria de Montserrat
Santa Maria de Montserrat is a Benedictine abbey located on the mountain of Montserrat, in Monistrol de Montserrat, in Catalonia, Spain.It hosts the Virgin of Montserrat, and the Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, a publishing house, one of the oldest presses in the world still running, with...
(1455–1510). Both this work and the Achates, or reply of Giovanni Rho, S.J., were placed on the Index of Forbidden Books
Index Librorum Prohibitorum
The Index Librorum Prohibitorum was a list of publications prohibited by the Catholic Church. A first version was promulgated by Pope Paul IV in 1559, and a revised and somewhat relaxed form was authorized at the Council of Trent...
in 1646.
Cajetan was a collector of books, and at his death left his fortune to the Bibliotheca Aniciana, founded by him in honor of the family of St. Gregory the Great (Gens Anicia); the books have since been divided between the Propaganda Library and that of the Sapienza
University of Rome La Sapienza
The Sapienza University of Rome, officially Sapienza – Università di Roma, formerly known as Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza", is a coeducational, autonomous state university in Rome, Italy...
, or Roman University. To many his chief title to fame will rest on his claim to be considered the first promoter, if not the founder, of the Propaganda College at Rome. He had long hoped to found at Rome a Collegium Gregorianum de propagandâ fide, in which young Benedictines might be trained for foreign missions, after the spirit and teachings of St. Gregory the Great, Apostle of the Anglo-Saxons. He really opened a house of studies for this purpose in the monastery of San Benedetto in Piscinula at Rome, and this may be looked on as historically the germ of Propaganda. His idea was taken up seriously by Pope Gregory XV
Pope Gregory XV
Pope Gregory XV , born Alessandro Ludovisi, was pope from 1621, succeeding Paul V on 9 February 1621...
(1621–23), who enlarged and modified until it took shape as the "Collegium [later Urbanum] de propagandâ fide". The pioneer labors of Dom Cajetan received due recognition by his nomination as first consultor of the new college.