BARONIO, CESARE, Venerable. — Cardinal and distinguished historian, born in Sora on 30 Oct. 1538, began his studies in Veroli, continued them in Naples on 29 Oct. 1556, enrolling in the Faculty of Law, and then in Rome in 1557, enrolling at the Sapienza.
The spiritual movement of St Philip Neri was already flourishing at that time, centered in the church of S. Girolamo della Carità, in the Rione Regola. Baronio wholeheartedly entered this movement, and this fact was of capital importance in his life, as it determined his vocation, his scholarly career, and ensured his success under the prestige and high guidance of St Philip.
A year later, in 1558, at the insistence of St Philip himself, who had intuited his great abilities, Baronio began to narrate, albeit reluctantly at first, the history of the Church in the small space of the same church of S. Girolamo, which still retains the original name of oratory, a cenacle of a group of intellectuals and spiritually-minded men. Such narration was the seed of the *Annales Ecclesiastici*, begun and developed in the living unfolding of the spoken word.
While living an entirely ascetic life of prayer and works of charity, he entered Holy Orders in 1560. To placate his father, angered by his ecclesiastical vocation, he earned his doctorate in utroque on 20 May 1561 and was ordained priest on 27 May 1564. Continuing for years with unwavering dedication the narration of ecclesiastical history, with an ever broader design and ever richer documentation, he soon gained notice and came into contact with the most learned men of his time in Rome, among whom Cardinal Sirleto, around 1577.
In 1580, Sirleto called Baronio to join the commission for the reform of the *Martyrologium Romanum*: Baronio distinguished himself with his talent and contributed more than anyone else to the completion of that work. The martyrology was published in two successive editions in 1583. But Baronio’s merit, more than for his predominant cooperation in the correction of the martyrology, lies in the notes made necessary by the controversies aroused by the new publication. These notes document and justify the work: the annotated martyrology appeared in 1586 with the title: *Martyrologium Romanum* etc. *Acceserunt notationes... autore Caesare Baronio* (Rome, Typis Dom. Basae MDLXXXVI). This publication, now certainly outdated, which marks the beginning of hagiography built on a critical foundation, made Baronio’s name known throughout Europe.
At this point, the material for Baronio’s principal work, the *Annales Ecclesiastici*, was largely collected; indeed, vol. I appeared in 1588 with the title: *Annales Ecclesiastici autore Caesare Baronio Soranco Congregationis Oratorii Presbytero*. The other 11 volumes followed in order up to 1607. They narrate, year by year, the history of the Church up to 1198.
The occasion for the work had been the *Ecclesiastica historia integram ecclesiae Christi ideam complectens, congesta per aliquot studiosos viros in urbe Magdeburgica*, published in 13 volumes in Basel in 1559–74, in which history was divided by centuries. It was the work of the learned Protestant Matthias Vlacic (Flacius Illyricus), who, with the collaboration of others and with the aid of documents, intended to give scientific foundation to the Reformation. The publication had met with wide resonance, and the need was felt on the Catholic side not to be outdone in the scholarly field; for this reason popes Pius IV, Pius V, Gregory XIII, and men like Panvinio, Signorio, and Canisius had worked towards this end, though without addressing the problem in its full complexity.
St Philip Neri, aware of these anxious and insufficient efforts and of the urgency of the task, having found the right instrument in Baronio, urged him to undertake the great labour. Baronio himself bore witness to Neri’s role in the 1st book of the *Annales*.
The *Annales* enjoyed great success, which remained unchallenged for a very long time. There were 21 editions up to 1756 and another French edition from 1864–87. There were also partial editions, compendia, and translations into Italian, French, German, and Polish.
It was inevitable that someone would continue the work that Baronio had left unfinished. The Dominican A. Bzowski continued it up to 1572; the French bishop E. De Sponde up to 1646; and finally, up to 1565, the much more important work of O. Rinaldi of the Vatican archives, who made use of the material collected by Baronio. Continuators of Rinaldi up to 1571 were G. Laderchi, then from 1572 to 1585 A. Theiner, all three Oratorians. The Conventual friars Antonio and Francesco Pagi published in four volumes a highly esteemed *Critica historica chronologica in universos annales eccles. C. B.*, Antwerp 1705. This work was added to the new edition of the Annals produced by Archbishop Mansi in Lucca in 1738–56. With
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**Fig. 1. Congregation of the Oratory**
- BARONIO, CESARE – Portrait of Roman school (17th century) at the Filippini Fathers – Rome.
quite a different spirit, Protestant writers such as Casaboun and Basnage set about criticizing Baronio in order to discredit his authority.
Four centuries after its first edition, Baronio’s work no longer provides scholars with the same services it rendered to his contemporaries. Criticism, now so highly developed, was still in its infancy in Baronio’s time, especially in the field of ecclesiastical studies; he practiced it as far as his times and means allowed, ample though they were, yet often insufficient for the task.
At times the historian was carried away by the apologist, as in the question of the “Monarchia sicula” and in some other minor matters. But it must be immediately added that the structure, design, development of Baronio’s work, in short its substance, remain intact even today in their fundamental value, and above all the central motif of the work remains: namely, the concept that Catholic doctrine has undergone no variations in its essence.
The documentation is abundant, at times even excessive for the subject, and to procure it Baronio spared no effort in the Vatican Library and requested manuscripts from afar. Thus his critical method, despite the chosen narrative method of year-by-year (which was, moreover, traditional), marked a great historiographical advance.
Baronio also brought to his work scrupulous honesty, which no one ever doubted, not even his adversaries such as Sarpi, who were prejudiced against him. He considered it “sacrilege” not to transcribe a text in its own terms and to modify its form, for literary reasons, as he reproached one who had done so when correcting the proofs of the Annals.
On 9 Sept. 1598 he wrote to his confrere Talpa: “I fear that because I am a cardinal, my writings may not be subjected to such rigorous censure as I desire... May they not spare me... Now more than ever is the time for my writings to pass through the alembic and fine sieve.” In a controversy regarding St Gregory the Great, he had a pamphlet published under the name of his confrere Gallonio, so as not to weigh upon the issue with his authority as cardinal. He was therefore quick to recant when he had fallen into error. At times he erred through excessive love of accuracy. Thus in the intricate question of chronology, he insisted on forcing secular and ecclesiastical chronology to march in step in order to establish secure milestones.
It is remarkable and beyond doubt that he possessed a great gift of erudition. Muratori not only calls him “the great cardinal,” “a wondrous intellect,” immortal, but also enters into the merits of his work and writes: “I never take up his *Annales sacri* without admiring that great intellect who could lay the foundations of so majestic an edifice with such erudition and such fine criticism, even though at that time so many aids were lacking which we now possess” (letter to Bianchini, 21 May 1735). Alfredo di Reumont affirms that B. “was the first to till the soil of ecclesiastical history.”
Besides the abundant material he left and other writings of lesser importance, B. composed the lives of St Ambrose and St Gregory Nazianzen, the former published in 1587, the latter left unpublished and later included by the Bollandists in their work and subsequently printed by Alberici. In these lives the same critical sense is evident as in the *Annales*, and Calenzio rightly remarks that they are the first hagiographies in the modern sense of the word.
Of great interest is B.’s correspondence, which also contains very many letters from great personalities addressed to him; it was published in 3 vols. by R. Alberici: *Epistolae et opuscula inedita*, I and II, Rome 1759; III, ibid. 1770.
B.’s scientific standing also determined his rapid and brilliant hierarchical career, in which he rendered great service to the Church. In 1593, after the resignation of St Philip, he was elected Provost of the Congregation of the Oratory, and in 1594 confessor to Clement VIII.
This last promotion would not have been historically significant in itself had it not occasioned an act of universal political import. The question of the reconciliation of Henry of Navarre with the Church, so that he might be elected King of France, was then a burning issue. The Spanish party, all-powerful in Rome, obstructed such a reconciliation for political reasons.
Within the Roman Curia itself and among the cardinals the division was profound. B. intervened decisively and contributed effectively to the reconciliation that took place in 1595 and which saved Europe and France from further schism. His elevation to higher offices was rapid: B. was named Apostolic Protonotary on 21 November 1595; cardinal on 5 June 1596; librarian of the Holy Roman Church in 1597. On his nomination as cardinal B. chose as his titular church that of SS Nereus and Achilleus, which had been rejected by all for a long time because the church was almost in ruins and would therefore have entailed great repairs and personal expense.
B. took it upon himself precisely with this end in view, restored it from its foundations and adorned it, spending large sums for those times and even contracting debts. Thus he saved one of the most ancient monuments from irreparable ruin. It was he also who, having become commendatory abbot of St Gregory on the Caelian, promoted the first works of restoration. Notable is the part he played in the struggle against the opponents of ecclesiastical jurisdiction, especially on the occasion of the interdict against Venice under Paul V; at that time he published the *Paraneisis ad Republicanem Venetam* (Rome 1606) to draw Venice back from the path it had taken. Equal zeal he displayed against attempts to promote to ecclesiastical dignities and the cardinalate persons less worthy. On the contrary, it was he who proposed Bellarmine to the Pope and urged his nomination as cardinal.
But B.’s work, personality and holiness shone forth especially in the two conclaves of 1605. In the first, which opened on 14 March, B. succeeded in obtaining up to 32 votes, but could not secure the few more that were lacking because of the rigid opposition of the Spanish party and the veto imposed by Spain following the publication of the *Monarchia Sicula*. After the newly elected Leo XI died a few days later, in the conclave that opened on 8 May the cardinal of Tuscany was on the point of being elected pope. He was a man of great learning, especially in law, but not equal to so great a dignity, above all because of his free and outspoken manner. B., who alone opposed him, went out to meet the procession of cardinals who were proceeding to proclaim the candidate and spoke so persuasively that the barely achieved agreement was broken off with difficulty.
On the proposal of the cardinal of Montalto, who had reluctantly adhered to the candidature of the Tuscan, B.’s name was put forward again. A large number of cardinals then tried to drag him to the Pauline Chapel for the customary act of adoration after an election, but B. resisted, “clinging with hands and feet to the columns and doors, crying out: ‘I do not wish to be pope; choose another pope worthy of the Holy See’” (letter of the cardinal of Joyeuse to Henry IV of France).
Though ill and aged, B. continued to work intensively not only on the *Annales* but on everything that might be of service to the Church. He immediately grasped the scientific importance of sacred archaeology, which was then in its infancy with the discovery of the cemetery of Vigna Sanchez on the Salarian Way, visited the sacred sites, took part in scholarly meetings. Indeed the Pope delegated him to identify the relics of St Cecilia in October 1596.
He also concerned himself with the reform of the Roman Ritual at the behest of Paul V; he had the image of the fabulous Pope Joan removed from public display in Florence; energetically wrote on the question of the Venetian interdict; and occupied himself with the reform of the Premonstratensians.
He died on 30 June 1607 and was buried in the Chiesa Nuova, beside the high altar. Henry IV, who had recourse to B. on other matters as well, arranged a funeral for the cardinal and attended it in person, in recognition above all of the great part he had played in his reconciliation with the Church.
If by his work he rendered a great service to the Church, greater still was the service he rendered through the holiness of his austere and penitential life, his whole-hearted charity towards the poor and the unfortunate, his freedom from ambition and nepotism. Benedict XIV declared him “venerable” (18 January 1745).
B.’s high scientific standing fostered within the Congregation of the Oratory a broad historical movement and created a fine tradition of historical scholarship. Besides the later continuators of the *Annales* already mentioned, we recall Gallonio, Severano, Bozzio and Marciano, who left important historical writings.
Baronzio, Giovanni – Still with scenes from the life of Jesus and some saints – Urbino, Palazzo Ducale.
Baronius, Justus. - A Protestant convert, born in Xanten (Silesia) c. 1570; the year and place of his death remain unknown. Educated in strict Calvinism, but shaken by the dissensions among the various sects and by the bitterness employed in the struggle against the Roman Church, he turned to reading the Catholic Bible and the commentaries of the Fathers, especially St. Augustine and St. Cyprian, and became convinced that the Church of Rome had in no way departed from the doctrine of the primitive Church: the specious objection most in vogue in the 17th century, raised by Protestants against Catholics. Coming to Rome to delve deeper into these questions, he was well received by Clement VIII and especially by Cardinal C. Baronio, whose works ended by confirming him in the truth. Thus, upon his return home, he wrote to the same Pope of his imminent conversion, who replied (17 Jan. 1601) encouraging him to take the great step. The conversion took place in 1601; from then on he began to call himself Justus Baronius, in gratitude to the cardinal. Little is known of his later life; it is only recalled that he earned a degree in theology at the University of Siena, in law at that of Perugia, and then returned to Germany to study at the University of Heidelberg. Having withdrawn to Mainz, he devoted himself to converting his former coreligionists.
He wrote: *Fusti Calvini Veterocastrensis pro sacrosanta catholica Romana Ecclesia*, *proque sua ad eam transmigratioe Apologia* (Mainz 1601; 2nd ed. Heidelberg 1756); *De latitudine Ecclesiae Dei et moderata coercitione haereticorum* (ibid. 1601); *Epistolarum Catholicarum liber unus* (ibid. 1601; 2nd ed. Mainz 1756); *Praescriptionum adversus haereticos perpetuarum ex ss. orthodoxis, potissimum Patribus Tract. IV* (ibid. 1602; 2nd ed. ibid. 1756).
BIBL.
L.: A. Rass, *Die Konvertiten seit der Reformation*, Freiburg in Br. 1866-71, III, pp. 537-620; A. Kobler, *Calvinus Justus*, in *Kirchenlexikon*, II, cols. 1744-45. Celestino Testore
Baronius (Baron du Berry). - A 7th-century monk; belonging to a noble family, he withdrew to a monastery after stormy life experiences. In an anonymous account, probably by one of his contemporaries, *Visio Baronti monachi Longoretensis*, it is narrated how, having fallen into a lethargy, he had a vision of the pilgrimage his soul, separated from the body, would make in heaven and in hell and of his absolution through penance. The narrative belongs to that genre of eschatological literature, rough in language, if not uncultured, which then spread throughout Europe.
Baronzio, Giovanni. - Painter from Rimini, already deceased by 1362. In 1345 he signed a polyptych now in the gallery of Urbino; a crucifix signed in the same year is also attributed to him: *Joannes de Arimino*, at Mercatello (cf. Giovanni da Rimini). The artistic personality of B., revealed by L. Venturi who saw in him the leading representative of the Rimini school, the artist who fused, deriving his own style, Byzantine chromaticism with Florentine formal plasticity, has been critically re-examined by recent studies (M. Salmi) which have defined his evaluation in relation to the other artists of the same school. In light of these, B. must be considered the disseminator of the taste of the principal Rimini artists (Pietro da Rimini and the Master of St. Augustine); a skilled disseminator but not