BALLERINI, Pietro and Gerolamo. - Veronese priests, brothers, educated first in the Cesi College, then in their native seminary. They lived and worked together, devoting themselves to the publication of many works, though it is not always possible to distinguish the part that belongs to each; Pietro may be said to appear more as a theologian and canonist, while Gerolamo is more devoted to criticism and history. Their publications excel in their vast and controlled erudition, meticulous care, and excellent criticism.
PIETRO was born in Verona on 7 Sept. 1698 and died there on 28 March 1769. Among his works are: *Saggio della storia del probabilismo nella descrizione del cangiamamento di sei insigni probabilisti in probabilioristi* (Verona 1736), in which he defends himself against accusations of probabilism arising from another earlier work of his: *Il metodo di s. Agostino negli studi* (ibid. 1724). Against usury, after the publication of the *Summa* of St. Antoninus of Florence (4 vols., ibid. 1740-41) and the *Summa* of St. Raymond of Peñafort (ibid. 1744), he published: *De iure divino et naturali circa usum* (2 vols., Florence 1747-1777); against Febronius: *De potestate ecclesiastica S. Pontificum et conciliorum generalium* (Verona 1765); *De vi ac ratione primatus romanorum pontificum* (ibid. 1766). He also worked on the edition of the *Sermones* of St. Zenon, bishop of Verona (ibid. 1739), and, at the behest of Benedict XIV, on a new edition of the works of St. Leo the Great to replace the Jansenist Quesnel’s edition: *S. Leonis M. pontificis opera* (3 vols., Venice 1753-56-57, reprinted by Migne, *PL* 54-56). Following the appearance of vol. I, St. Leo the Great was solemnly decreed the title of Doctor of the Church.
GEROLAMO was born in Verona on 22 Jan. 1702 and died there on 23 Feb. 1781. He collaborated on almost all his brother’s works and, with his brother’s assistance, published the writings of his fellow citizen, Cardinal Enrico Noris: *Henrici Noris veronensis, augustiniani S. R. E. Presbyteri Cardinalis opera omnia nunc primum collecta et ordinata* (3 vols., Verona 1729-33), adding several interesting studies, especially one on the patriarchate of Aquileia. He also edited: *I. Matthaei Giberti, ep. veronensis opera* (ibid. 1732); *Ratherii, ep. veronensis opera* (ibid. 1755; reprinted by Migne, *PL* 136).
Of manuscripts, the two brothers left 36 volumes.