ABiGOC's Newsletters

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History Pills

Two centenarians

This year marks two important centenaries for the Carmelite Order. On 30 January 1226, Pope Honorius III granted a bull, in the form of by command or of command, which began with the words The way of lifeWith it, the pontiff commanded the hermits of Carmel to faithfully observe the Formula of Life, given some years earlier (between 1206 and 1214) by Patriarch Albert of Jerusalem. By observing it and living «in holy penance», the friars would obtain indulgence. This is not yet the approval of the Rule, which will only take place on 1st October 1247 with Innocent IV, but an initial recognition of the community of Carmelite hermits and their Formula of Life.

A century later, on 3 February 1326, John XXII granted with the constitution Super cathedram all the privileges already granted to the Franciscans and Dominicans: in this way, the somewhat bumpy path of the Carmelites' transformation into a mendicant order was completed.

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Detail from Pietro Lorenzetti's Carmine Polyptych, 1327-1328 (Siena Art Gallery)

Archive Research

The church and convent of San Crisogono in Rome

For several years our collaborator Cristina Cumbo, a specialist in Christian archaeology, has been working on a large project aimed at rediscovering Carmelite churches and convents. in the city, located in the historic centre of Rome. Specifically, they have already dealt with Santa Maria in Traspontina and its Oratory of the Christian Doctrine, a stone's throw from St. Peter's Basilica; San Giuliano all’Esquilino, a church completely destroyed in 1874, following the urban redevelopment of Rome by the House of Savoy; and San Nicola ai Cesarini, almost entirely demolished in 1928-1929 to make way for the archaeological excavations of Largo di Torre Argentina.

after publishing the results of these interesting studies in the series Studies Historica Carmelitana, edited by Edizioni Carmelitane, Cristina has now begun new documentary research on the church and convent of San Crisogono, with the intention of bringing to light the documentary evidence of the Carmelite presence in Trastevere.

In 1486, the ancient basilica of San Crisogono was entrusted to the Carmelites of the Mantuan Congregation, who established the headquarters of their Procurator General there. With the suppression of the reformed province of Mantua in 1783, the church and convent passed to the province of Romagna-Marche and then, in 1820, to the Roman province. However, in 1847 Pope Pius IX entrusted San Crisogono to the Trinitarian fathers, granting the Carmelites the church of San Nicola ai Cesarini in return.

Testament to the strong bond between Trastevere and the Carmelite charism, the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is still active in the district, which, from the 16th century to the present day, enlivens a solemn procession on the occasion of the Feast of Carmel (16 July), known by Romans as “Festa de’ noantri”.

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San Crisogono in Trastevere, Engraving by Giuseppe Vasi, 1753

News

Further on the cataloguing of our library heritage

The cataloguing of the manuscript and printed heritage currently ongoing at the General Archive and Library is proceeding at full steam and with constancy.

Specifically, as regards the manuscripts in the Archive, they have so far been entered into Manus Online (MOL) 97 specimens belonging to the fund Personas, – which, as we recall, transmit texts of a theological or philosophical nature, or those intended for preaching, written or copied by Carmelite authors. In the meantime, another twenty or so fact sheets are being prepared, which will soon be published online and will complete the description of the collection. The next step will then be to add the 62 items in the collection to the database Variety, containing works by authors not directly connected to the Carmelite rule, and the 6 manuscripts in the collection From the Library, dating between the 15th and 18th centuries, from the Carmelite section of our library, containing texts of various kinds (poetic, doctrinal, biographical, etc.) by notable Carmelite personalities.

For those who are interested, it is possible to view the available sheets by clicking directly on the following link: https://manus.iccu.sbn.it/risultati-ricerca-manoscritti item_nocheck%3A13088%3ABiblioteca=1766034#1752142653641.

Regarding the library's book collection, there are currently 2,611 bibliographic records available within the national SBN catalogue, including ancient volumes, modern volumes, new acquisitions, and periodicals. In addition, there are 247 titles relating to the contents of the Archive's manuscripts, derived directly from Manus Online, resulting in the two databases being linked and therefore simultaneously queryable.

Following the integration of our library collection into SBN, we have indeed seen increased demand from a wider and more diverse audience, achieving one of the main objectives we set ourselves when planning our mission Librarian.

It is possible, even in this case, to access the catalogue via the following link: https://www.beweb.chiesacattolica.it/UI/page.jsp?action=ricerca%2Frisultati&view=griglia&locale=it&ordine=&liberadescr=biblioteca+generale+carmelitana&liberaluogo=&dominio=6&dominio=8&ambito=CEIBIB

We will continue to keep you updated on the progress of our work!

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Events

Guided tour

On 27 November 2025, we welcomed the participants of the “Titus Brandsma Congress” to the General Archives and Library. The event was organised by Fathers Fernando Millán Romeral, Giovanni Grosso, Michael Plattig, and the Carmelite Order's postulator, Dr. Giovanna Brizi. The event focused on aspects of the life, work, and thought of the Dutch saint Titus Brandsma (1881-1942), who died a martyr in the Dachau concentration camp after being arrested by the Gestapo for his staunch opposition to the Nazi regime.

Fr. Giovanni Grosso and archivist Simona Serci guided scholars from all over the world in discovering the treasures of our library and documentary heritage, including some accounts of the young Titus's Roman stay at the Sant'Alberto International College, which is now the seat of our cultural institutions. For the occasion, the postulator showed the scholars the canonisation bull of Saint Titus, signed by Pope Francis on 15 May 2022, and the register signed by hundreds of deportees from the concentration camp, who supported the opening of the beatification process for the Dutch Carmelite friar.

Curiosity Dell’Archive

Macaroni of Naples

In our archive, we preserve the correspondence between Fr. Luigi Laghi, who was Prior General of the Carmelites between 1742 and 1756, and the sub-prior of the Traspontina in Rome, Fr. Avertano Bevilacqua. This correspondence provides valuable and amusing information on culinary and medicinal recipes that were popular in the 18th century, a subject Fr. Laghi was particularly fond of.

In one of the letters, dated 12 February 1758, Laghi writes from the convent of Forlì, in the province of Romagna-Marche, and asks Bevilacqua to send him a basket containing eighty or one hundred pounds (i.e. 35-45 kg) of macaroni, of the kind usually eaten at the convent of the Traspontina, but which are «truly from Naples, and not from Rome!» [AGOC, II Roma (Tr.) 118.1.1., fasc. Bevilacqua, Correspondence received 1958].

At the time, the term “maccheroni” was used to generically define dried durum wheat pasta, without reference to a specific shape (spaghetti, vermicelli, short pasta, hollow pasta, etc.). This product, which became typical of Mediterranean cuisine, was highly successful in Bourbon Naples and was exported from the Neapolitan capital throughout pre-unification Italy. Neapolitans themselves were called “maccheroni-eaters”, a nickname that was later extended as a stereotype to Italians immigrating abroad. In the eighteenth century, the streets of Naples teemed with trattorias and street vendors selling pasta with tomato sauce, which was also consumed on the street as takeaway food, and local producers organised themselves into a specific guild of “vermicellari” to protect their economic interests.

Father Laghi's request certainly reflects the gluttony of the former general, already famous for his passion for chocolate, but it also testifies to Naples' primacy in the production of dried pasta, especially in terms of quality.

The document is preserved in the “S. Maria in Traspontina” section of the AGOC and was inventoried in the volume Santa Maria in Traspontina. The life of a Carmelite community through archival documents. Inventory of the collection, edited by Jacopo De Santis, Rome, Edizioni Carmelitane (Series Archives of the Carmelites), 2023 (https://edizionicarmelitane.org/it/collections/subsidia-archivi-carmelitarum/products/santa-maria-in-traspontina-la-vita-di-una-comunita-carmelitana-attraverso-le-carte-darchivio) .

Julius Moser (1805-1879): Boy eating spaghetti, oil on canvas, Rome, 19th century

Alerts

Christmas closure

Our institutions will be closed for the Christmas holidays on the following days:

Fri 19 December 2025 – Tue 6 January 2026.

We take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Image from a Carmelite Missal, printed in Venice in 1760

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Research Grants

Research Grant AGOC – 9th Edition

The ninth edition of the Research Grant in memory of Fr. Emanuele Boaga, organised by the General Archive of the Carmelite Order, has been won by Dr Filippo Catanese, archivist, palaeographer and doctor of research in Cultural Heritage Studies.

Filippo will undertake a critical edition project entitled: Visits of the Mantuan Congregation of the Carmelite Order between the end of the 16th and the mid-17th centuries, focusing on two manuscript registers kept in our archive, containing the accounts of the visits made by the general priors Enrico Silvio (1599) and Girolamo Ari (1660) to the various convents of the Mantuan Congregation.

This research will shed further light on one of the most important reforms of the Carmelite Order, allowing for the mapping of individual houses and the friars who belonged to them, and for an understanding of their administrative, communal, and patrimonial organisation in detail.

For further information, please refer to the tender and the award minutes. https://archivioocarm.com/assegno-di-ricerca-alla-memoria-di-p-emanuele-boaga-nona-edizione-2025/ .

News

Appointment of new directors for our institutions

The General Archives and Library have two new directors: for the Archives, Father Giovanni Grosso, former dean of the’The Carmelite Institute and Church historian, who previously held the role of general archivist in 2014-2015; and regarding the Library, Father Max Agung, from the Indonesian Carmelite Institute, within whose context he has dedicated himself to the research and promotion of Carmelite spirituality.

even the position of headteacher’Institute it has been renewed, with the appointment of Father Boby Sebastian Tharakkunnel, a specialist in canon and civil law, who will coordinate and promote scientific activities for the next six years.

Archive Curiosities

The Friar-Artist

Today we want to show you a special feature of one of our manuscripts from the section Personas, formerly belonging to the Transpontina Library and containing the text of The logic of our Carmelite, John Baptist Baccone, a most famous ancient doctor.

Dated 1646-1647, this volume bears the signature of Fra’ Giovanni Abramo Peri, a Carmelite friar and young student from the royal convent in Naples, who originally used it. In detail depicted on folio 11r, a small filler drawing by his hand: a stylised lamb, accompanied by a scroll with the inscription «Ubi humilitas ibi sapientia» – “Where there is humility, there is wisdom”.

Throughout the volume appear tiny drawings of all sorts, in order to decorate spaces and blank pages.

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Curiosities of’Archive

A seal of the King of France

For the fourth consecutive year, we have completed another batch of seal restorations from our parchment collection. As in previous years, the project was supported by contributions from the CEI's 8xMille and was carried out by Dr Luca Becchetti, custodian of the seals at the Vatican Apostolic Archive.

We are showing you the before and after of a large, natural wax round seal of King Francis I of France (1515-1547), whose condition, before restoration, was appalling, with fragments re-glued with no logic whatsoever. The seal, now legible again despite missing pieces, shows on the obverse the effigy of the sovereign seated on the throne, crowned and with a sceptre, within a lily pavilion; beneath his feet, the shapes of two lions can be glimpsed. On the reverse, there is a trace of the French coat of arms.

The privilege to which it belongs (II Extra/1527.1) is dated Saint Denis, 7 July 1527: it is a royal letter with which the King of France writes to the Prior General Niccolò Audet, putting an end to the dispute between the latter and Stephane Jovency, prior of the province of Narbonne. When, on 8 May 1524, during the Chapter of Venice, Audet had been elected general, Jovency had disavowed his authority, causing a rift in the Carmelite Order. A week after the disputed election, the prior of Narbonne had convened an anti-chapter in Montpellier, from which he emerged as prior general. Only the provinces of southern France probably participated in that chapter, but the clash between them and the rest of the Order was such as to cause a schism accompanied by excommunications. Indeed, Audet had brought the matter before Pope Clement VII, obtaining a bull ordering the French to return under the jurisdiction of the Carmelite curia in Rome. In turn, Jovency had appealed to the King of France, in an attempt to have the papal decision suspended, but the Royal Council decided in favour of Audet, who governed from 1524 to 1562, distinguishing himself as an extraordinary reformer. His generalate was the second longest in the history of the Order, after that of Giovanni Grossi (1411-1430).

News

The first AGOC manuscripts on Manus Online (MOL)

Following the recent accession of the General Archive and Library of the Carmelite Order to the project Manus Online (MOL), aimed at the protection, cataloguing and study of manuscripts produced from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era, we have begun to upload the first items belonging to the collection onto the platform Personas from our Archive. This is a collection of manuscripts dating from the 14th to the 19th century, containing texts on theological, philosophical, or homiletic subjects, written or copied by Carmelite authors.

There are currently around 40 analytical records in the database drawn up by our collaborator Flavia Di Giampaolo: the description of the manuscripts, based on a standard protocol, includes a first part relating to the material characteristics of the artefact and a second dedicated to the detailed list of contents.

The database, structured in this way, allows for in-depth and tailored analysis of each manuscript, by entering more or less detailed information within pre-established strings.

We are pleased that the work is proceeding at full speed and we wish to reiterate the importance of adhering to MOL to spread knowledge of the Carmelite Order and to make a significant part of the oldest heritage of our religious community accessible to an ever-wider audience.

For those who are interested, it is possible to view the available sheets by clicking directly on the following link: https://manus.iccu.sbn.it/risultati-ricerca-manoscritti?item_nocheck%3A13088%3ABiblioteca=1766034#1752142653641 .

Summer closure

Our institutions will be closed for the summer break on the following dates:

General archive

Mon 28 July 2025 – Mon 25 August 2025

Carmelite General Library

Mon 28 July 2025 – Sun 24 August 2025.

We take this opportunity to wish you a lovely summer!

Those interested in submitting their application for the E. Boaga Project of the Archive may submit their dossier by the 31st July current year, according to the methods required by the tender: certified email, registered post, or hand delivery at the concierge.https://archivioocarm.com/assegno-di-ricerca-alla-memoria-di-p-emanuele-boaga-nona-edizione-2025/).

Peter Paul Rubens, Estate: the farmers go to the market (1620-1630)

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events

Ecclesiastical Cultural Heritage Enhancement Days 2025

On the occasion of the 2025 Days of Enhancement of Ecclesiastical Heritage, on Tuesday 13th May the General Archive and Library of the Carmelite Order set up a small exhibition of their most important pieces.

Following an introduction by the headteacher of the’The Carmelite Institute Fr. Giovanni Grosso O.Carm., archivist Simona Serci and librarian Sara Bischetti showed and presented visitors with some of the most significant documents and books for the history of the Carmelite Order.

Indeed, for the occasion, some precious library manuscripts and rare incunabula kept in our institutions were displayed to the public, along with various 16th and 17th-century books, as well as an Atlantic-sized manuscript liturgical codex, dating back to the 18th century and recently restored. Through the description of these items, Sara took the curious visitors on a journey into the history of the ancient book, from hand-written and illuminated parchment to the early centuries of paper print editions, production and marketing processes in which the Carmelite Order itself participated as a commissioner and buyer of books, which in modern times went on to form the library of the general studies at Santa Maria in Traspontina, the oldest nucleus of our Library.

Furthermore, numerous archival documents, on parchment and paper, were selected and described. These enabled Simona to recount the history of the Carmelites, from their origins on Mount Carmel to the friars' arrival in the western Mediterranean around the mid-13th century, events evidenced by a brief review of papal bulls and briefs. Still through archival testimonies, the key moments of the Order's general government were illustrated, from the earliest general chapters, which were celebrated around Europe during the Middle Ages, to the establishment – in the course of the 16th century – of the Carmelite general curia's seat in Rome, at the Traspontina convent, and finally to the construction, in the early 20th century, of the International College Sant'Alberto (CISA), with the exhibition of floor plans and period photographs depicting the building which still houses our institutes today. Particular emphasis was given to the documentary section of the General Postulation, with the display of some items relating to the beatification and canonisation processes of Carmelite figures, especially Blessed Giovanni Battista Spagnoli, known as Mantovano (1448-1516) and Blessed Angelo Paoli (1642-1720).

We are delighted to show you some photographs from the exhibition and, grateful to everyone for their warm participation and demonstrated interest, we hope to be able to replicate this in the future with equal success.  

events

Book launch by Cristina Cumbo

On Friday, 16 May, in the Tito Brandsma room of our Institute, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr Cristina Cumbo for the presentation of her latest book. The Church and Convent of St. Julian the Hospitaller at the Trophies of Marius, published in 2024 by Edizioni Carmelitanehttps://edizionicarmelitane.org/it/products/la-chiesa-e-il-convento-di-san-giuliano-lospitaliero-ai-trofei-di-mario). 

The study focuses on a now-demolished church that was located in Rome near Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and was torn down when the piazza was built in 1876. It was attached to one of the three oldest Carmelite convents. in the city and for this reason, some of the research was conducted on documentation held at the General Archive of the Carmelites.

After a brief introduction by Fr. Giovanni Grosso, headteacher of the Carmelite Institute, Professor Maria Vittoria Marini Clarelli, an art historian, formerly superintendent of the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, and now a lecturer at the Pontifical Gregorian University, spoke, highlighting the strengths of the volume, particularly the critical and scientific acumen employed by the author. The event concluded with a report by Dr. Cumbo, who illustrated to the participants, through some of the most significant images, the method adopted for her research, also underscoring its more problematic aspects.

Below is a photo of the event.

News

Further to the cataloguing of the BiGOC volumes

As you already know, the cataloguing of the General Carmelite Library's book heritage is proceeding at full speed: we have currently reached over two thousand bibliographic records, specifically 2,059 titles including old and modern volumes, new acquisitions and periodicals.

Our library's participation in the national cataloguing OPAC SBN is allowing a wider and more diverse range of users to discover our book heritage and, consequently, our community.

considering cataloguing one of our priorities mission librarian, we have set ourselves the objective of continuing this activity regularly, hoping to achieve our goal as soon as possible.

You can access the catalogue via the following link: 

https://www.beweb.chiesacattolica.it/UI/page.jsp?action=ricerca%2Frisultati&view=griglia&locale=it&ordine=&liberadescr=biblioteca+generale+carmelitana&liberaluogo=&dominio=6&dominio=8&ambito=CEIBIB .

We will keep you updated on the progress of our work!

To read the Newsletter online and to subscribe, please visit the following web address: https://www.ocarm.info/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/archive/prayer/20250527095325/

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events

Ecclesiastical Cultural Heritage Enhancement Days 2025

In the week of 10-18 May 2025, the now customary initiatives aimed at promoting the artistic and cultural heritage of ecclesiastical institutions will be held throughout Italy, this year made even more special as they will take place during the Jubilee Year.

For the occasion, the General Archive and Library of the Carmelite Order will also open their doors to visitors, on Tuesday. 13 May 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, to showcase the oldest documentary and library material kept here.

In particular, some of the most significant medieval manuscripts and documents for the history of the Order will be exhibited publicly and presented, along with some incunabula and Cinquecentine from the Library's ancient collection, linked to prominent Carmelite figures.

We look forward to seeing many of you there!

PROJECTS

Restoration of liturgical volumes at the Carmelite General Library

Since last year, thanks to contributions from the 8xMille of the Italian Episcopal Conference allocated to Ecclesiastical Archives and Libraries, our Library has been able to commission an important restoration project for the volumes belonging to the liturgical collection housed there.

The restorer Alessandro De Cupis has indeed restored four of the approximately thirty liturgical volumes, including antiphonaries, chorales, and graduals, dating from the 16th to the 18th century, to their former beauty. These volumes are characterised by their immense size, the presence of precious miniatures, and the fact that they are entirely handwritten, thus holding great historical and cultural value for our library heritage.

Alessandro De Cupis is currently continuing the restoration of another seven volumes and we hope that he will be able to continue in the future, completing the entire collection, so as to encourage the study and enhancement of these important specimens by sector experts.

Notices

Easter Closure

Our institutions will close for the Easter holidays during the week 21 to 27 April 2025.

We take this opportunity to wish you a happy Easter!

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News

Participation in the Manus Online (MOL) project 

The Archive and General Library of the Carmelite Order, as Italian ecclesiastical institutes, have joined the project Manus Online (MOL), coordinated by the ICCU and aimed at the protection, cataloguing and study of manuscripts produced from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

The aim is to enter the codicological descriptions of approximately 200 library manuscripts belonging to the Sections into the database. Personas e Variety dell'Archivio Generale dell'Ordine Carmelitano (AGOC). These are two collections which house examples dating from the 14th to the 19th centuries, containing texts of a theological, philosophical and spiritual nature, but also intended for preaching, written or copied by Carmelite authors.Personas) or by writers not directly connected to the religious reality of the Carmelites (VarietyThese volumes, through various historical events, ended up in the library that supported the General studies of Traspontina in Rome.

The cataloguing activity is part of the broader programme for the enhancement of the documentary and library heritage of the General Archive and Library, aimed primarily at disseminating knowledge of the Carmelite Order, as well as preserving its historical-cultural integrity.

The accession to MOL will, therefore, help make a significant part of our religious community's oldest heritage accessible to a wider audience.

THE TREASURES OF THE LIBRARY

The canonisation of Saint Charles Borromeo recounted in a seventeenth-century edition

The General Library of the Carmelites holds a small printed volume from 1610, containing a summary account of the life and miracles of Saint Charles Borromeo and his canonisation, which took place in Rome on 1 November of that same year, during the pontificate of Paul V Borghese.

It is, therefore, one of the very first editions that recount, with meticulous detail, not only the canonisation process of Saint Charles, but also the details concerning the rich and majestic ornaments of the ceremony.

The title page features an engraving depicting Saint Charles in the traditional iconography, meditating before a crucifix, dressed in cardinal's robes and with his usual, immediately recognisable facial features, such as his characteristic prominent nose.

LE ARCHIVE CURIOSITIES

Torn stories

Sometimes amusing but regrettable events occurred in the convent, which have been passed down to us through documents preserved in our archive.

It was the month of March in the year 1637, and the Prior General of the Carmelites, Theodore Straccio, was writing to the prior of the convent of Massalombarda, a place not far from Ravenna, to resolve an embarrassing matter. The vigorous complaints of Mr. Giacomo Bertachi had reached Rome, concerning the irreverent behaviour of a certain Brother Pietro Maria, a beggar belonging to the aforementioned Carmelite convent. In fact, on the first Sunday of Lent (1 March 1637), Brother Pietro, playing with some companions after a heavy snowfall, had thrown a snowball at Mr. Bertachi, who was passing by, it is not known whether as a joke or out of anger.

As Bertachi insistently demanded that fra’ Pietro be reprimanded and punished for his inappropriate conduct, General Straccio was compelled to order that the friar be placed in solitary confinement for a few days, so as to placate the layman's indignation [AGOC, II C.O. 1(24), fasc. 4, p. 163].

Exuberant Brother Pietro began his Lent with a prank that cost him dearly...

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BANDI

AGOC Research Grant – Ninth Edition (2025)

As every year, the General Archive of the Carmelite Order has announced a selection for the awarding of a research grant, named in memory of Fr. Emanuele Boaga, who was the Order's archivist general for approximately thirty years.
Projects must be centred on historical, religious, philological, or archival research, starting from an analysis of the documentary heritage preserved in our Archive. The objective is to produce a scientific study based on the research undertaken (article, monograph, edition of sources, inventory, etc.), the publication of which will be evaluated by Carmelitan Editions.
The deadline for submitting applications is 31 July 2025.

For further details, please refer to the call for applications. 

Research Grant in memory of Fr. Emanuele Boaga – Ninth edition (2025)

Projects

Seal restoration Dell’AGOC

For some years now, thanks to the 8xMille contributions from the Italian Episcopal Conference earmarked for Ecclesiastical Archives and Libraries, our archive has been able to plan and commission some extremely interesting restoration projects for the seals preserved in the Diplomatic Section.

Indeed, between 2023 and 2024, Dr. Luca Becchetti, Conservator of Seals of the Vatican Archives and Head of the restoration laboratory Seal, has restored a total of 87 wax seals to their former beauty, 50 still attached to their original parchments and 37 detached, having fallen from episcopal privileges and papal bulls due to wear and tear, or having been cut off from them as a consequence of the old habit, no longer acceptable according to modern conservation techniques, of keeping them separately from the original membranous documents.

Our hope is to be able to continue with this activity in the future, thereby completing the restoration and study of the remaining hanging wax and lead seals in our precious collection.

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News

Cataloguing of the BiGOC volumes

We are pleased to inform you that the cataloguing of the Carmelite General Library's book heritage is proceeding at full speed and has currently resulted in the insertion of 1,115 bibliographic records (including antique volumes, modern volumes, and new acquisitions) into the portal of ecclesiastical cultural institutions, BeWeb, in connection with the broader national cataloguing system, Opac SBN.
This result is undoubtedly encouraging for our institution and demonstrates the importance of cataloguing as the main activity for the dissemination and knowledge of the Library's book collections, which also allows for control over them.
Aware of the vast work that awaits us and anticipating a protracted conclusion to the activity, we are prioritising what we believe to be the study and research needs of our community on the one hand, and external users on the other. Indeed, at present, we have also commenced the cataloguing of periodicals, with a constant update of our holdings.

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News

The archival heritage online

We are pleased to announce that the General Archive has begun the publication of its heritage on BeWeB, the portal for ecclesiastical cultural institutions, where information relating to the sections, series and sub-series of our main collection, namely the “General Curia Fund”, is already available.

On the BeWeB homepage, select the “Archival Holdings” category and enter the name of the depositing body (General Archive of the Carmelite Order) in the designated search bar. You can then access the description of the documentation by clicking on the “Archive of the General Curia of the Carmelite Order” icon. On the specific page that appears, you will be able to explore the documentary complex. In particular, you will find information relating to the producing body, the depositing body, its breakdown into sections, series, and sub-series, the holdings and chronological limits of the preserved documentation, existing research tools, and access procedures for the archive. Gradually, we will add more analytical descriptions.

We are very pleased with this online publication opportunity and wish to emphasise its importance, because the BeWeB project, which our Carmelite General Library also participates in, allows ecclesiastical cultural institutions to share their wealth amongst themselves and with a very large audience. Indeed, within a single portal, researchers can navigate and discover an immense cultural heritage, which is cross-disciplinary (not only archival and literary, but also historical-artistic and architectural), geographically spread throughout Italy, and not always immediately accessible.

If you wish to start your research or simply browse, you can connect to the following link: https://www.beweb.chiesacattolica.it/UI/fondi_html/CEI300A000252018001/albero_fondo.jsp?idfondo=30000025201800100001

Projects in progress

The parchment fragments reused in the documents and books of the General Archive and Library’Carmelite Order

During the cataloguing of the Biblioteca Generale Carmelitana's ancient collection, which is still ongoing, we have noticed that fragments of medieval manuscripts have been used as reinforcement for the bindings of some of these volumes, particularly near the spines. Given the increasing attention from scientific literature regarding the reuse of library and documentary scraps in the bindings of ancient books and notarial protocols, we have decided to begin a census and analysis of this rich material, also involving documents preserved at the General Archive.

On the side, we show you an example of the reuse of a parchment fragment, originating from a Gothic manuscript (attributable, in all probability, to the 14th century), containing an unidentified religious text and reused for the backing of a volume of Sermons, the latter printed in Lyon in 1557.

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Christmas closure

Our institutions will be closed for the Christmas holidays on the following days:

General archive

From Thursday 19 December 2024 to Monday 6 January 2025 (reopening Tuesday 7)

Carmelite General Library

From Monday 23 December 2024 to Monday 6 January 2025 (reopening Tuesday 7).

Christmas

We take this opportunity to wish you a peaceful Christmas!

Filippo Lippi, Adoration of the Child of Palazzo Medici, 1459

(Gemäldegalerie, Berlin)