Gaetano Moroni
Encyclopedia
Gaetano Moroni was an Italian writer, the author of the well-known Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica.
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He received his early education from the Brothers of the Christian School at Rome. Apprenticed later to a barber, his duties frequentIy took him to the Camaldolese
convent of San Gregorio on the Coelian Hill; there the abbot, Mauro Cappellari, and several of the fathers recognized his exceptional gifts, and made use of him in a quasi-secretarial capacity. When Cappellari became a cardinal
, he made Moroni his cameriere and when he became Pope Gregory XVI
, he took Moroni for primo aiutante di camera, employing him also as private secretary, in which capacity Moroni wrote over 100,000 letters.
Moroni also served Pope Pius IX
as aiutante di camera. Among the books of the Camaldolese convent and of the cardinal as well as from conversation with learned people, Moroni acquired a vast store of information. He also gradually collected a considerable private library bearing on ecclesiastical questions, while he made notes from daily papers and from other publications for his own instruction. The subsequent arrangement of these notes in order suggested to him the idea of turning his labours to the benefit of the public, an idea which he realized in the Dizionario, a mine of interesting data and authoritative in matters concerning the Pontifical Court, the organization of the Curia
and the Church, and the administration of the Papal States
. In matters of history, it depends on the writers whom its author consulted. It is, however, not a well-ordered or homogeneous work, but these defects may be readily forgiven in view of the fact that its author did his work alone, without real collaboration, and wrote at times sixteen hours a day.
Moroni was also the author of official articles on papal ceremonies, the journeys of the popes, etc. During the conclaves of 1829 and 1831, he wrote the Giornale storico-politico-eremoniale delle sede vacante e il conclave per l'elezione di Pio VIII e Gregorio XVI, which, like others of his writings remained unpublished. As a member of the household of Gregory XVI Moroni was the object of much sectarian hatred. He was a friend of many cardinals, including Wiseman, and of other illustrious men. In the index of the Dizionario, he indicates the various passages of the work which he speaks of himself, and which thus constitute a kind of autobiography.
Biography
Moroni was born in RomeRome
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...
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He received his early education from the Brothers of the Christian School at Rome. Apprenticed later to a barber, his duties frequentIy took him to the Camaldolese
Camaldolese
The Camaldolese monks and nuns are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century...
convent of San Gregorio on the Coelian Hill; there the abbot, Mauro Cappellari, and several of the fathers recognized his exceptional gifts, and made use of him in a quasi-secretarial capacity. When Cappellari became a cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
, he made Moroni his cameriere and when he became Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846...
, he took Moroni for primo aiutante di camera, employing him also as private secretary, in which capacity Moroni wrote over 100,000 letters.
Moroni also served Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
as aiutante di camera. Among the books of the Camaldolese convent and of the cardinal as well as from conversation with learned people, Moroni acquired a vast store of information. He also gradually collected a considerable private library bearing on ecclesiastical questions, while he made notes from daily papers and from other publications for his own instruction. The subsequent arrangement of these notes in order suggested to him the idea of turning his labours to the benefit of the public, an idea which he realized in the Dizionario, a mine of interesting data and authoritative in matters concerning the Pontifical Court, the organization of the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
and the Church, and the administration of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
. In matters of history, it depends on the writers whom its author consulted. It is, however, not a well-ordered or homogeneous work, but these defects may be readily forgiven in view of the fact that its author did his work alone, without real collaboration, and wrote at times sixteen hours a day.
Moroni was also the author of official articles on papal ceremonies, the journeys of the popes, etc. During the conclaves of 1829 and 1831, he wrote the Giornale storico-politico-eremoniale delle sede vacante e il conclave per l'elezione di Pio VIII e Gregorio XVI, which, like others of his writings remained unpublished. As a member of the household of Gregory XVI Moroni was the object of much sectarian hatred. He was a friend of many cardinals, including Wiseman, and of other illustrious men. In the index of the Dizionario, he indicates the various passages of the work which he speaks of himself, and which thus constitute a kind of autobiography.