Vaticani latini
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
Vatican Apostolic Library
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Cortile del Belvedere V, 00120 Vatican City
Contact information: phone number
0039 0669879411
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
bav@vatlib.it
Reference number
Vat. lat.
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Latin manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Vaticani latini
Language of title
lat
Creator / accumulator
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Date note
4th century/20th century
Language(s)
lat
Extent
15,379 manuscripts
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The vast collection of manuscripts referred to as Vaticani Latini is strictly connected to the history of the Vatican Library itself and represents a phase of book collection initiated by the popes during the 15th century, after their definitive return to Rome (1418). The manuscripts that compose this collection can be traced back to an ancient collection from the 15th century, to which new acquisitions were added up to the 16th century (ms. 1 to 4888). A second nucleus is represented by the new acquisitions starting from Pope Paul V (1605-1621) up to Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) (ms. 4889 to 9851). Finally, a third group gathers manuscripts of more recent chronology, from Leo XIII (1878-1903) to the present day (ms. 9852 to 15379).
In 1976, some manuscripts belonging to the Neofiti collection were added to the Vaticani Latini, which, despite their Jewish theme, are written in Latin script. At present, their signature is Vat. Lat. 14627-14631. Besides this Jewish-related documentation later incorporated into the Vaticani latini, the collection already contained records with information regarding the relationship between Jewish communities and the Holy See. It is the case of a copy of a letter sent by the Congregazione del Santo Uffizio to the Grand Duke informing him about the construction of the synagogue of Livorno (10444, fols. 136-138). The manuscript 10945, entitled "Anima del Sant'Offitio spirata dal sopremo tribunale della Sacra Congregatione, raccolta dal Padre Predicatore F. Giacomo Angarano da Vicenza l'anno del Signore MDCXLIV", contains a collection of materials related to the Venetian Inquisition.
In 1976, some manuscripts belonging to the Neofiti collection were added to the Vaticani Latini, which, despite their Jewish theme, are written in Latin script. At present, their signature is Vat. Lat. 14627-14631. Besides this Jewish-related documentation later incorporated into the Vaticani latini, the collection already contained records with information regarding the relationship between Jewish communities and the Holy See. It is the case of a copy of a letter sent by the Congregazione del Santo Uffizio to the Grand Duke informing him about the construction of the synagogue of Livorno (10444, fols. 136-138). The manuscript 10945, entitled "Anima del Sant'Offitio spirata dal sopremo tribunale della Sacra Congregatione, raccolta dal Padre Predicatore F. Giacomo Angarano da Vicenza l'anno del Signore MDCXLIV", contains a collection of materials related to the Venetian Inquisition.
Archival history
According to chronological criteria related to the production and acquisition of manuscripts, the documents of this collection can be divided into three main groups: ancient, modern, and recent.
The ancient nucleus of the Vatican Latini (4,888 manuscripts) represents the first collection of the Vatican Library. Immediately after the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1437-41), the new papal collection started from an older nucleus of manuscripts (about 300) collected by Eugene IV (papacy 1431-47), and it was mainly formed during the pontificate of Nicholas V (papacy 1447-55). The collection increased during the pontificates of Callixtus III (1455-58), Pius II (1458-64), and, above all, Paul II (1464-71). These notable extensions required a reorganisation under the pontificate of Sixtus IV (1471-84), carried out by the humanist Bartolomeo Sacchi, known as Platina, librarian since 1475. At the end of the 15th century, the so-called Niccolino-Sistine library already held 3,000 manuscripts. These form the basis of all subsequent collections. The structure designed by Platina was maintained until the transfer to the new headquarters ordered by Sixtus V (papacy 1585-90).
The modern nucleus (4,963 manuscripts from the 17th to the 19th centuries) proceeds from the reorganisation of the ancient collection carried out by Domenico Ranaldi under the pontificate of Paul V (papacy 1605-20). Under this pontiff and during the pontificate of the subsequent Urban VIII Barberini (1623-44), many manuscripts were acquired, especially during the management of Scipione Caffarelli Borghese (1609-18) and Scipione Cobelluzzi (1618-26), as librarian cardinals. After the fall of the temporal power of the popes in 1870 and the election of Leo XIII (1878-1903), a new phase in the history of the Vatican Library began, which was also followed by a new period of acquisitions that progressively formed the most recent nucleus, which ends with the manuscript 15379.
The ancient nucleus of the Vatican Latini (4,888 manuscripts) represents the first collection of the Vatican Library. Immediately after the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1437-41), the new papal collection started from an older nucleus of manuscripts (about 300) collected by Eugene IV (papacy 1431-47), and it was mainly formed during the pontificate of Nicholas V (papacy 1447-55). The collection increased during the pontificates of Callixtus III (1455-58), Pius II (1458-64), and, above all, Paul II (1464-71). These notable extensions required a reorganisation under the pontificate of Sixtus IV (1471-84), carried out by the humanist Bartolomeo Sacchi, known as Platina, librarian since 1475. At the end of the 15th century, the so-called Niccolino-Sistine library already held 3,000 manuscripts. These form the basis of all subsequent collections. The structure designed by Platina was maintained until the transfer to the new headquarters ordered by Sixtus V (papacy 1585-90).
The modern nucleus (4,963 manuscripts from the 17th to the 19th centuries) proceeds from the reorganisation of the ancient collection carried out by Domenico Ranaldi under the pontificate of Paul V (papacy 1605-20). Under this pontiff and during the pontificate of the subsequent Urban VIII Barberini (1623-44), many manuscripts were acquired, especially during the management of Scipione Caffarelli Borghese (1609-18) and Scipione Cobelluzzi (1618-26), as librarian cardinals. After the fall of the temporal power of the popes in 1870 and the election of Leo XIII (1878-1903), a new phase in the history of the Vatican Library began, which was also followed by a new period of acquisitions that progressively formed the most recent nucleus, which ends with the manuscript 15379.
Administrative / Biographical history
The official history of the Vatican Apostolic Library is generally indicated by scholars as starting around the middle of the 15th century. In fact, it was Pope Niccolò V (1447-55) who made the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew manuscripts — collected during his pontificate (1,200 manuscripts in 1455) — available to scholars, so that they could consult and read them. Niccolò V’s project was not concluded and was only resumed by Sixtus IV (1471-84). The opening date was decreed in the bull “Ad decorem militantis Ecclesiae” on June 15, 1475. It was followed by the appointment of the first librarian in the person of the humanist Bartolomeo Platina. The headquarters of the new institution was located on the ground floor of a building near the Belvedere courtyard. The rooms for consultation were established in four and decorated by the best painters of the time. Such rooms were: “Bibliotheca Latina” and “Bibliotheca Graeca” (for manuscripts in both languages), “Bibliotheca Secreta” (for manuscripts not directly available to readers, including some valuable codes), “Bibliotheca Pontificia” (for the consultation of the papal archives and registers). Meanwhile, the collection of manuscripts continued to increase, rising from a total of 2,527 codices in 1475 to 3,498 codices in 1481. In the 16th century, the Library continued to develop, with the research and purchase of manuscripts and the acquisition of printed books. During the pontificate of Gregory XIII (1572-85), the book material began to be separated from the archival material. This latter material would form one of the collections that formed the "Archivum Novum" established by Paul V (1605-21) and which would become the Vatican Apostolic Archive. Finally, considering the significant increase in the books preserved in the Library, Sixtus V (1585-90) decided to build a new building and commissioned the architect Domenico Fontana with the project. That building still houses the Library today. On the top floor, the large hall with two naves, the Salone Sistino, was decorated and has recently been reopened after a long restoration. In the 17th century, the aggregation of entire libraries of princely or private origin — which in many cases remained distinct from other open collections — began, creating special closed collections of manuscripts and printed matter: the Palatine library of Heidelberg (1623), the library of the Dukes of Urbino (1657) and the collection of Queen Christina of Sweden (1690), etc. During the 18th century, a project was also planned in order to catalogue all the preserved manuscripts. Designed by Giuseppe Simonio Assemani and his nephew Stefano Evodio, the project was to consist of 20 volumes, but only the first three and the incomplete fourth saw the light.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Access, restrictions
Digital copies of Vaticani ebraici manuscripts are available online:
Finding aids
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Andrea Cicerchia, 2022
Bibliography
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