Onofrio Panvinio

Historian and archaeologist, born at Verona, 23 February, 1530; died at Palermo, 7 April, 1568.

At eleven he entered the Augustinian Hermits . After graduating in Rome as bachelor of arts in 1553, he instructed the young men of his order there for one year, and then taught theology in the monastery of his order at Florence. In 1557 he obtained the degree of doctor of theology, visited various libraries in Italy, making historical researches, and went to Germany in 1559. Refusing the episcopal dignity, he accepted the office of corrector and reviser of the books of the Vatican Library in 1556. He died while accompanying his friend and protector Cardinal Farnese to the Synod of Monreale. He was recognized as one of the greatest church historians and archaeologists of his time. Paul Manutius called him "antiquitatis helluo", and Scaliger styled him "pater omnis historiae".

He is the author of numerous historical, theological, archaeological, and liturgical works, some of which are posthumous publications, others are still preserved in manuscript in the Vatican Library. Of his printed works the following are the most important:

• "Fasti et triumphi Romanorum a Romulo usque ad Carolum V" (Venice, 1557);
• a revised edition of Sigonio's "Fasti consulares" (Venice, 1558);
• "De comitiis imperatoriis" (Basle, 1558);
• "De republica Romana" (Venice, 1558);
• "Epitome Romanorum pontificum" (Venice, 1557);
• a revised edition of Platina's "De vitis pontificum" (Venice);
• "XXVII Pontif. Max. elogia et imagines" (Rome, 1568);
• "De sibyllis et carminibus sibyllinis" (Venice, 1567);
• "Chronicon ecclesiasticum a C. Julii Caesaris tempore usque ad imp. Maximilianum II" (Cologne, 1568);
• "De episcopatibus, titulis, et diaconiis cardinalium" (Venice, 1567);
• "De ritu sepeliendi mortuos apud veteres Christianos" (Cologne, 1568);
• "De precipuis Urbis Romae basilicis" (Rome, 1570 Cologne, 1584),
• "De primatu Petri et apostolicae selis potestate" (Verona 1589),
• "Libri X de varia Romanorum pontificum creatione" (Venice, 1591);
• "De bibliotheca pontificia vaticana" (Tarragona, 1587);
• "Augustiniani ordinis chronicon" (Rome, 1550).

Enjoy our RCIA class? Pay it Forward