Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 13.djvu/162

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ROMAN


132


ROMAN


surrounding country. And while each student has more time for reading along lines of his own choice, he is required to give some portion of each day to the subjects explained in the class-room during the year.

What has been said outlines fairh' well the work of the Roman colleges. In matters of detail some variations will be found, and these are due chiefly to natural characteristics or to the special purpose for which the college was established.

Almo Collegio C.a^praxicexse (Capranica). — This is the oldest Roman college, founded in 1417 by Carchnal Domenico Capranica in his own palace for 31 young clerics, who received an education suitable for the formation of good priests. Capranica himself drew up their rules and presented the college with his own librarv', the more valuable portion of which was later transferred tx5 the Vatican. The cardinal's brother, Angelo, erected opix)site his own palace a suitable house for the students. When the Con- stable de Bourbon laid siege to Rome in 1.527 the Ca- pranica students were among the few defenders of the Porta di S. Spirito, and all of them with their rector fell at the breach. The rector according to the uni- versit}' custom of those days was elected by the stu- dents'and was always one of themselves. Alexander VII decided that the rector should be appointed by the protectors of the college. After the Revolution the college was re-established in 1807; the number of free students was reduced to 13, but pa>ang students were admitted. Those entering must have completed their seventeenth j'ear; they attend the lectures at the Gregorian University. The college counts among its graduates many cardinals and bishops; not a few of the students have passed into the diplomatic service. The country' seat is a villa at Monte Mario.

Seminario Romano. — Hardly had the Council of Trent in its 23d session decreed the establishment of diocesan seminaries, when Pius IV decided to set a good example, and on 1 Feb., 1565, the seminary was solemnly opened with 60 students. The rules were drawn up by P. Lainez, General of the Society of Jesus, and to this order Pius IV entrusted the man- agement of the college. Up to 1773 the students at- tended the lecturas in the Collcgio Romano; the resi- dence was changed several times before 1608, when they settled in the Palazzo Borromeo in the Via del Seminario (now the Gregorian University). A coun- try seat was erected for the students in a portion of the baths of Caravalla. Each year, at Pentecost, a student dehvered a discourse on the Holy Ghost in the papal chapel. In 1773 the .seminary was installed in the Collegio Romano of the Jesuits. After the changes in 1798 the number of the students, gener- ally about 100, was reduced to 9. Pius VII restored the seminarj' which continued to occupy the Collegio Romano until 1824, when Leo XII gave back this builfling to the Jesuits and transferred the seminary to S. Apollinare, formerly occupied by the Collegio Germanico; the seminary, however, retained its own schools comprising a clas.sical course, and a faculty of philosophy and thcKilogy, to which in 1856 a course of canon law was added. The direction of the semi- nary and, as a rule, the chairs were reserved to the secu- lar clerg>'. Aft^T the departure of the Jesuits in 1848 the w;minary again removed to the Collegio Romano. In the 8<;mi nary there arc 30 frw; plac<!S for studcsnts belonging U) Rfjme; the remaining students, who may be from other <lioce.ses, pay a small pension. The Cfjllegio O-rawjli with four burses for students of the Diocr^f; of Bergitino endowed by Cardinal Cer- aflfjli, is wjnnw;t^'d with tlx- seminary. The students take part in th« cerf;inoni<'K in the church of the Se- minario Pio. Their cjissoek is violet. The seminary possesses an excellf-nt library. At the present tim(;, py order of Pius X, a new btiilding for the seminary is in process of constniction near the Lateran Ba.silica. The schools of the seminary are attended by students


from other colleges and religious communities. Gre- gory XV, Clement IX, Innocent XIII, and Clement XII were educated in this seminar3^

Seminario Pio, also situated in the Palazzo di S. Apollinare, was founded in 1853 by Pius IX for the dioceses of the Pontifical States. Each diocese is en- titled to send a student who has completed his human- ities; SinigagUa may send two; the number of pupils is limited to 62. All must spend nine years in the study of philosophy, theology, canon law, and liter- ature; they are supported by the revenues of the sem- inary and are distinguished by their violet sash. The seminary has a villa outside the Porta Portese. The students bind themselves by oath to return to their dioceses on the completion of their studies.

Seminario Vaticano, founded in 1636 by Urban

VIII for the convenience of the clerics serving in the Vatican Basilica (St. Peter's). Its government was entrusted to the Vatican Chapter which appointed the rector. Shortly afterward a course of grammar and, somewhat later, courses of philosophy and theology were added. Paj-ing students were also admitted. In 1730 the seminarj' was transferred from the Piazza Rusticucci to its present location behind the apse of St. Peter's. From 1797 till 1805 it remained closed; on its reopening only 6 free students could be received, but the number rose to 30 or 40. After the events of 1870 the seminary dwindled. Leo XIII endeavoured to restore it, re-establishing the former courses and granting it a country residence in the Sabine hills. In 1897 it was authorized to confer degrees. In 1905 Pius X suppressed the faculties of philosophy and theology, the students of the former subject going to S. ApoUinare, and of the latter to the Gregorian. They wear a purple cassock with the pontifical coat- of-arms on the end of their sash.

Seminario dei SS. Pietro e Paolo, established in 1867 by Pietro Avanzani, a secular priest, to prepare young secular priests for the foreign missions. Pius

IX approved it in 1874 and had a college erected, but this was later pulled down and since then the semi- nary has changed its location several times; at present it is in the Armenian College. The students follow the courses at the Propaganda; at home they have lectures on foreign languages, including Chinese. They number 12. The college has a country residence at Montopoli in the Sabine hills. On finishing their studies the students go to the Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Shen-si or to Lower California.

Seminario Lombardo dei SS. A.mhrogio e Carlo, founded in 1854 chiefly through tlic generosity of Cardinal Borromeo and Duke Scotti of Milan, was located in the palace of the confraternity of S. Carlo al Corso. Owing to the insufliciency of its revenues it remained closed from 1869 to 1878. Leo XIII al- lowed the other bishops of L^pper Italy as well as of Modena, Parma, and Placenta to send their subjects who, numbering over 60, pay for their maintenance and follow the lectures at the Gregorian University; not a few of the.se students are already priests when they enter the seminary. They may be known by their black sashes with red borders. Since 1888 the seminary has had its own residence in the Prati di Castello.

Collegio Germanico-Ungarico, after the Collegio Capranica, the oldest college in Rome. The initi- ative t^jwards its foundation was taken by Cardinal (Jiovanni Morone and St . Ignatius of Ivoyola, and by th(! energetic labour of the saint tlie plan was carried into effect. Julius III approved of the idea and promised his aid, but for a long time the college had to struggle against finan{-ial difficulties. The first students were rec((ived in Xov<;niber, 15.52. The ad- ministration was confided to a commitU^e of six car- dinal protectors, who decided that the collegians should wear a red cassock, in con.sequence of which they have since been i)opularly known as the gamberi