Giuseppe Agostino Orsi
Encyclopedia
Giuseppe Agostino Orsi was a cardinal, theologian, and ecclesiastical historian.
Born as Agostino Francesco Orsi at Florence on 9 May 1692, of the aristocratic Florentine family Orsi, he studied grammar and rhetoric under the Jesuits, but entered the Dominican Order
at Fiesole
on 21 February 1708. At his profession he received the monastic name of Giuseppe Agostino. His studies included not only theology, in which he gave particular attention to the Fathers of the Church and the great Scholastics, but also classical and Italian literature.
Having been master of studies for some time at the convent of San Marco, Florence
, he was called to Rome in 1732 as professor of theology at the College of St. Thomas Aquinas, where he was also made prior. He held this position for two years, after which he became the theologian of Cardinal Neri Corsini
, nephew of Pope Clement XII
. In 1738 he was appointed secretary of the Congregation of the Index. In 1749 Benedict XIV made him "Magister Sacri Palatii", or papal theologian, and on 24 September 1759, Clement XIII created him cardinal priest of the title of San Sisto. In this position Orsi was an active member of several Congregations until his death on 12 June 1761, in Rome. He was buried in his titular church of San Sisto Vecchio
.
, and church history. His most important works are the following:
Other writings of Orsi are:
Born as Agostino Francesco Orsi at Florence on 9 May 1692, of the aristocratic Florentine family Orsi, he studied grammar and rhetoric under the Jesuits, but entered the Dominican Order
Dominican 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...
at Fiesole
Fiesole
Fiesole is a town and comune of the province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, on a famously scenic height above Florence, 8 km NE of that city...
on 21 February 1708. At his profession he received the monastic name of Giuseppe Agostino. His studies included not only theology, in which he gave particular attention to the Fathers of the Church and the great Scholastics, but also classical and Italian literature.
Having been master of studies for some time at the convent of San Marco, Florence
San Marco, Florence
San Marco is the name of a religious complex in Florence, Italy. It comprises a church and a convent. The convent, which is now a museum, has three claims to fame: during the 15th century it was home to two famous Dominicans, the painter Fra Angelico and the preacher, Girolamo Savonarola...
, he was called to Rome in 1732 as professor of theology at the College of St. Thomas Aquinas, where he was also made prior. He held this position for two years, after which he became the theologian of Cardinal Neri Corsini
Corsini
Corsini is the name of a Florentine princely family.-History:The founder is said to be Neri Corsini, who came to prominence circa 1170. The family are likely to have originated from Corsica, during the time when the Republic of Pisa was ruling the island. Initially the family was known as Corso ...
, nephew of Pope Clement XII
Pope Clement XII
Pope Clement XII , born Lorenzo Corsini, was Pope from 12 July 1730 to 6 February 1740.Born in Florence, the son of Bartolomeo Corsini, Marquis of Casigliano and his wife Isabella Strozzi, sister of the Duke of Bagnuolo, Corsini had been an aristocratic lawyer and financial manager under preceding...
. In 1738 he was appointed secretary of the Congregation of the Index. In 1749 Benedict XIV made him "Magister Sacri Palatii", or papal theologian, and on 24 September 1759, Clement XIII created him cardinal priest of the title of San Sisto. In this position Orsi was an active member of several Congregations until his death on 12 June 1761, in Rome. He was buried in his titular church of San Sisto Vecchio
San Sisto Vecchio
San Sisto Vecchio is a church in Rome, devoted to St. Pope Sixtus II. It was built in the 4th century, and is recorded as the Titulus Crescentianae, thus relating the church to some Crescentia, possibly a Roman woman who founded the church. According to tradition, the church was established by Pope...
.
Works
Orsi's literary activity covered especially dogmatics, apologeticsApologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
, and church history. His most important works are the following:
- "Dissertatio historica qua ostenditur catholicam ecclesiam tribus prioribus sæculis capitalium criminum reis pacem et absolutionem neutiquam negasse" (Milan, 1730)
- "Dissertatio apologetica pro SS. Perpetuæ, Felicitatis et sociorum martyrum orthodoxia adversus Basnagium" (Florence, 1728)
- "Dell'origine del dominio e della sovranità temporale de' Romani Pontefici" (Rome, 1742)
- "Storia ecclesiastica" — this, his chief work (20 vols., Rome, 1747–61), brought the narrative only to the close of the sixth century; the twenty-first volume, which Orsi had begun, was finished by his former pupil Giovanni Bottari (Rome, 1762). The work was afterwards brought up to the year 1587 by the Dominican Fil. Becchetti (new ed. in 42 vols., Venice, 1822; in 50 vols., Rome, 1838). It has been translated into several languages.
Other writings of Orsi are:
- "Dissertazione dommatica e morale contra l'uso materiale della parola" (Rome, 1727)
- "Dimostrazione teologica" (Milan, 1729), in defence of the preceding work on truthfulness (the question of restrictio mentalis)
- "Dissertatio theologica de ìnvocatione Spiritus Sancti in liturgiis Græcorum et Orientalium" (Milan, 1731)
- "Dissertationes duæ de baptismo in nomine Jesu Christi et de chrismate confirmationis" (Milan, 1733) — this was defended by Orsi, in the "Vindiciæ dissertationis de baptismo in nomine Jesu Christi" (Florence, 1735), against the attacks of the doctors of Paris
- "De concordia gratiæ et liberi arbitrii" (Rome, 1734)
- "De irreformabili Romani Pontificis in definiendis fidei controversiis judicio" (Rome, 1739) and
- "De Romani Pontificis in Synodes œcumenicos eorumque canones potestate" (Rome, 1740). The last two are directed against GallicanismGallicanismGallicanism is the belief that popular civil authority—often represented by the monarchs' authority or the State's authority—over the Catholic Church is comparable to that of the Pope's...
.