ALLACCI, LEONE

ALLACCI, LEONE. — Greek theologian and scholar, b. at Chios in 1586, d. in Rome on 19 January 1669; the surname appears with the variant spellings Allacio or Allazio, from the original Greek Ἀλλάτιος.

At the end of 1599 he entered the Greek College of Rome, where he studied classical languages, philosophy, and theology, without entering the sacred orders, although he lived celibate. In 1616 he received his doctorate in medicine. After being appointed by Paul V as a Greek-language writer at the Vatican Library, he was commissioned by Gregory XV to transport the Palatine Library from Heidelberg to Rome, where it had been offered by Maximilian of Bavaria. The Pope’s death deprived him of his well-deserved reward; indeed, under his successor Urban VIII, he had to endure vexations and accusations that proved unfounded. Alexander VII appointed him first custodian of the Vatican Library in 1661.

His industry and erudition are attested by the two hundred and thirty bundles, or volumes, in the Vallicelliana Library of Rome, containing not only the manuscripts of his works, several of them unpublished, but also copies of Greek, Latin, and Italian codices. The approximately sixty publications of A..., besides editions of ancient texts, works on literary history, and works of varied erudition, include writings concerning the controversies between the Churches of Rome and Byzantium, composed with the aim of diminishing their differences and emphasizing their doctrinal and disciplinary areas of agreement, in the spirit of the Council of Florence (1439). Among these, the following should be recalled: De Ecclesiae occidentalis atque orientalis perpetua consensione (Cologne 1648), his major work; Gracciae orthodoxae scriptores (Rome 1652–59); and Concordantia nationum orientalium christianarum in fidei catholicae dogmate, written in collaboration with Abramo Ecchellense (Rome 1655).

He also rendered distinguished service to Italian literature through the works: Poeti antichi raccolti da codici manoscritti della biblioteca Vaticana e Barberina, e Drammaturgia divisa in sette indici (Rome 1666).