Pontifical Oriental Institute
Encyclopedia
The Pontifical Oriental Institute ("Pontificium Institutum Orientalium" in Latin, "Pontificio Instituto Orientale" in Italian) is the premier center for the study of Eastern Christianity
in Rome, Italy.
The pontifical school
was established in 1917 by Pope Benedict XV
. Pope Pius XI
entrusted the Institute to the Society of Jesus
in 1922, and with the 1928 encyclical "Rerum Orientalium", encouraged bishops to send students to the Institute to be formed as future professors in Oriental studies. In that same year, Pius XI associated the Institute with the Pontifical Gregorian University
and the Pontifical Biblical Institute
, thus forming the Gregorian Consortium
.
In 1971, the Faculty of Oriental Canon Law
was erected alongside the already existing Faculty of Oriental Ecclesiastical Studies. The Faculty of Oriental Canon Law had a crucial role in the production of Code of Canon Law for the Oriental Churches.
Since 1993, the Grand Chancellor of the Oriental Institute has been the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
. The current Chancellor is Cardinal Leonardo Sandri
. The current Rector of the Institute is the Reverend Father James McCann, S.J.
The Institute maintains an important library of Christian oriental literature. One special holding is a rare collection of Old Slavonic
manuscripts.
The Institute has been located across from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
since 1926. It is separated from the Collegium Russicum
by the Church of Saint Antony.
According to article 16 of the Lateran Treaty, signed in 1929 between Italy and the Holy See
, the property of the Oriental Institute enjoys a certain level of extraterritoriality
, with the Holy See having all rights over the infrastructure without interference from the Italian State, and free from all Italian taxation.
The Institute is a member of the Gregorian Consortium
.
In spoken language, the school is sometimes simply referred to as "The Orientale".
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
in Rome, Italy.
The pontifical school
Pontifical university
A pontifical university is a Catholic University established by and directly under the authority of the Holy See. It is licensed to grant academic degrees in sacred faculties, the most important of which are Sacred Theology, Canon Law, Sacred Scripture and...
was established in 1917 by Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
. Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
entrusted the Institute to the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 1922, and with the 1928 encyclical "Rerum Orientalium", encouraged bishops to send students to the Institute to be formed as future professors in Oriental studies. In that same year, Pius XI associated the Institute with the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
and the Pontifical Biblical Institute
Pontifical Biblical Institute
The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
, thus forming the Gregorian Consortium
Gregorian Consortium
The Gregorian Consortium is a collaborative association of three pontifical universities/institutes in Rome.The motu proprio Quod maxime of Pope Pius XI, united in 1930 the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Pontifical Oriental Institute, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute into a University...
.
In 1971, the Faculty of Oriental Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
was erected alongside the already existing Faculty of Oriental Ecclesiastical Studies. The Faculty of Oriental Canon Law had a crucial role in the production of Code of Canon Law for the Oriental Churches.
Since 1993, the Grand Chancellor of the Oriental Institute has been the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
Congregation for the Oriental Churches
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches is the dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for contact with the Eastern Catholic Churches for the sake of assisting their development, protecting their rights and also maintaining whole and entire in the one Catholic Church, alongside the liturgical,...
. The current Chancellor is Cardinal Leonardo Sandri
Leonardo Sandri
Leonardo Sandri is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Roman Curia, having previously served as Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela , Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico and Substitute for General Affairs...
. The current Rector of the Institute is the Reverend Father James McCann, S.J.
The Institute maintains an important library of Christian oriental literature. One special holding is a rare collection of Old Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavic was the first literary Slavic language, first developed by the 9th century Byzantine Greek missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius who were credited with standardizing the language and using it for translating the Bible and other Ancient Greek...
manuscripts.
The Institute has been located across from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major , known also by other names, is the largest Roman Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy.There are other churches in Rome dedicated to Mary, such as Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, but the greater size of the...
since 1926. It is separated from the Collegium Russicum
Collegium Russicum
The Collegium Russicum is a Catholic college in Rome dedicated to studies of the culture and spirituality of Russia....
by the Church of Saint Antony.
According to article 16 of the Lateran Treaty, signed in 1929 between Italy and the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, the property of the Oriental Institute enjoys a certain level of extraterritoriality
Extraterritoriality
Extraterritoriality is the state of being exempt from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Extraterritoriality can also be applied to physical places, such as military bases of foreign countries, or offices of the United Nations...
, with the Holy See having all rights over the infrastructure without interference from the Italian State, and free from all Italian taxation.
The Institute is a member of the Gregorian Consortium
Gregorian Consortium
The Gregorian Consortium is a collaborative association of three pontifical universities/institutes in Rome.The motu proprio Quod maxime of Pope Pius XI, united in 1930 the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Pontifical Oriental Institute, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute into a University...
.
In spoken language, the school is sometimes simply referred to as "The Orientale".
See also
- Michel d'HerbignyMichel d'HerbignyMichel-Joseph Bourguignon d'Herbigny was a French Jesuit scholar and Roman Catholic bishop. He was president of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, and of the Pontifical Commission for Russia...
- George NedungattGeorge NedungattGeorge Nedungatt , is an Indian Jesuit priest of Oriental rite, and expert in Oriental Canon Law.- Jesuit formation :Nedungatt joined the Society of Jesus in 1950...
- John D. Faris
- Dimitri SalachasDimitri SalachasBishop Dimitri Salachas, titular bishop of Carcabia, is the current Apostolic Exarch of the Byzantine Rite Catholics in Greece. Salachas was ordained priest in 1964 and on the 23 April 2008 was appointed Apostolic Exarch of the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church and titular bishop; and was ordained...
- Robert F. TaftRobert F. TaftRobert F. Taft, S.J. is a former Professor of Eastern Liturgy at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He has made numerous contributions to the history of Byzantine, Syriac and Armenian liturgy.His magnum opus is A History of the Liturgy of St.John Chrysostom , Rome, 1978-2000...
- Cyril VasiľCyril VasiľArchbishop Cyril Vasiľ, S.J., is a Slovak Jesuit priest, professor and Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. He was appointed Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and ordained bishop of the see of Ptolemais in Libya .Vasiľ was born in Košice, Slovakia...
- Ivan ŽužekIvan ŽužekIvan Žužek , was a Slovenian Jesuit priest and Canonist. He was the General Secretary of Pontifical Commission for the Revision of Eastern Code .- Early life :...