Bernardo de Rossi

(DE RUBEIS, GIOVANNI FRANCESCO BERNARDO MARIA).

Theologian and historian; b. at Cividale del Friuli, 8 Jan., 1687; d. at Venice, 2 Feb., 1775. He made his religious profession with the Dominicans at Conegliano, 1704, after which he studied at Florence and Venice. He taught at Venice for fifteen years, and was twice general vicar of his province. In 1722 he was theologian to a Venetian embassy to Louis XV and remained in Paris five months. He resigned his chair in 1730 and devoted the remainder of his life to literary activity. His sanctity and learning won for him a wide reputation, and his correspondence with the great men of his time fills nine volumes. His works, written in elegant Latin, show a vast erudition and a mind at once critical and profound. Amongst his dogmatic writings must be mentioned the masterly work “De Peccato Originali” (Venice, 1757). He is famous especially for his new edition of the works of St. Thomas with a commentary (Venice, 1745-60, 24 vols.). He was also the author of thirty-two excellent dissertations on the life and writings of the Angelic Doctor, which have been placed in the first volume of the Leonine Edition of St. Thomas’s works. De Rossi also ranks high as a writer on historical, patristic, and liturgical subjects. Besides his numerous works which are published, he left thirty volumes in manuscript.