BINI (Binius), SEVERINO. - Canon lawyer, born at Randerath (near Aquisgrana) in 1573, died on 14 February 1641 at Colonia, where he carried on all his priestly, academic, and literary activity. Ordained a priest and having obtained a degree in theology (1600), he was appointed there as a canon and at the same time as a university professor. He taught ecclesiastical history and canon law. Later he became rector magnificus of the same university (1627–29) and vicar general (1631–41).
His principal work is Concilia generalia et provincialia (which had three editions: 1606 and 1618 at Colonia in 4 vols., 1636 at Parigi in 9 vols.). It contains the acts and canons of the councils, with their respective historical-canonical commentaries inspired by Baronio’s Annales ecclesiastici, as well as the decretal letters and the lives of the Roman pontiffs. In addition to the Concilia, B. edited a new edition of the Historiae ecclesiasticae: Scriptores Graeci (Socrates, Theodoretus, Sozomenus, Exagrius, Colonia 1612).