Pius Bonifacius Gams
Encyclopedia
Pius Bonifacius Gams was a German Benedictine
ecclesiastical historian.
and Rottweil
(1826–1834), he studied philosophy and theology at Tübingen
(1834–38), entered the seminary of Rottenburg am Neckar
in 1838, and was ordained priest on 11 September 1839. He filled various posts as tutor, vicar, parish priest, professor until 1 May 1847, when he was appointed chairs of philosophy and general history by the theological faculty of Hildesheim
.
He entered the Abbey of St. Boniface at Munich, which belonged to the Bavarian congregation of the Order of St. Benedict, and pronounced the monastic vows, 5 October 1856, adding the name of Pius to that of Boniface. Gams filled several monastic offices, being successively master of novices, sub-prior, and prior.
The Series episcoporum is a collection of the episcopal lists of all ancient and modern sees. Gaps are frequent in the lists of ancient sees, especially those of the Eastern Church. Gams ignored a number of dissertations which would have rectified, on a multitude of points, his uncertain chronology.
In 1850 Gams founded with his colleagues Johann Baptist Alzog
, F. W. Koch, Mattes, and G.J. Muller a Theologische Monatschrift which lasted two years (1850–1851), and in which he published a number of essays.
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...
ecclesiastical historian.
Life
His classical studies made at BiberachBiberach
Biberach is the name of several locations in Germany.* Biberach an der Riss, a town in Upper Swabia* Biberach , which has Biberach an der Riss as its capital* Biberach, Baden, a municipality in the Ortenaukreis...
and Rottweil
Rottweil
Rottweil is a town in the south west of Germany and is the oldest town in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.Located between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alb hills, Rottweil has about 25,000 inhabitants...
(1826–1834), he studied philosophy and theology at Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
(1834–38), entered the seminary of Rottenburg am Neckar
Rottenburg am Neckar
Rottenburg am Neckar is a medium-sized town in the administrative district of Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It rests about 50 km southwest of the provincial capital Stuttgart and about 12 km southwest of the district town Tübingen...
in 1838, and was ordained priest on 11 September 1839. He filled various posts as tutor, vicar, parish priest, professor until 1 May 1847, when he was appointed chairs of philosophy and general history by the theological faculty of Hildesheim
Hildesheim
Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
.
He entered the Abbey of St. Boniface at Munich, which belonged to the Bavarian congregation of the Order of St. Benedict, and pronounced the monastic vows, 5 October 1856, adding the name of Pius to that of Boniface. Gams filled several monastic offices, being successively master of novices, sub-prior, and prior.
Work
He is best known for his Kirchengeschichte von Spanien, 3 vols. (Ratisbon, 1862–1879), and his Series episcoporum Ecelesiae catholiae quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo etc. (Ratisbon, 1873–86, with two supplements). The Kirchengeschichte von Spanien is a methodical work, critical, also, to a certain extent, in dealing with the earliest period of Spanish ecclesiastical history, though the author rarely abandons unreliable sources.The Series episcoporum is a collection of the episcopal lists of all ancient and modern sees. Gaps are frequent in the lists of ancient sees, especially those of the Eastern Church. Gams ignored a number of dissertations which would have rectified, on a multitude of points, his uncertain chronology.
In 1850 Gams founded with his colleagues Johann Baptist Alzog
Johann Baptist Alzog
Johann Baptist Alzog was a German theologian and Catholic church historian.He was born at Ohlau, in Silesia. He studied at Breslau and Bonn and was ordained priest at Cologne in 1834....
, F. W. Koch, Mattes, and G.J. Muller a Theologische Monatschrift which lasted two years (1850–1851), and in which he published a number of essays.
Works
- "Geschichte der Kirche Jesu Christi im neunzehnten Jahrhunderte mit besonderer Rucksicht auf Deutschland"; 3 vols. (Innsbruck, 1854–1858)
- "Johannes der Taufer im Gefangnisse" (Tübingen, 1853)
- "Die elfte Sacularfeier des Martyrertodes des heiligen Bonifacius", etc. (Mainz, 1855)
- "Die Kirchengeschichte von Spanien", 3 vols, in five parts (Ratisbon 1862-79); "Spanische Briefe" in "Historisch-politische Blatter", LVI, 134 sq., 208 sg, 311 sq., 418 sq., "Wetterleuchten auf der pyrenaischen Halbinsel", ibid, LVI, 67 sq
- "Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo" (Ratisbon, 1873) supp I: "Hierarchia catholica Pio IX Pontifice Romano" (Munich, 1879), Supp. II: "Series episcoporum quae apparuit 1873 completur et continuatur ab anno circa 1870 ad 20 Febr. 1885" (Ratisbon, 1886)
- "Das Jahre des Martyrtodes der Apostel Petrus und Paulus" (Ratisbon, 1867).