COMILLAS, PONTIFICAL SEMINARY AND UNIVERSITY of. — Centre of ecclesiastical culture in Spain, in the province of Santander, founded in their town of origin, at the suggestion of Fr. Tommaso Gomez, Jesuit, by the marquises of C., Antonio Lopez y Lopez (1817–83) and his son Claudio Lopez y Brú (1853–1925).
With the brief Sempiternam dominici gregis (16 Dec. 1890), Leo XIII accepted ownership of the magnificent building and laid the foundations for the canonical establishment of the new athenaeum which, directed by the Society of Jesus, would be re et nomine pontifical under the patronage of the Holy See, represented by the apostolic nuncio to Spain. It was inaugurated on 7 Jan. 1892. Pius X, by the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Studies Praeclari honoris (29 March 1904), raised it to the rank of university, with the right to confer academic degrees in philosophy, theology, and canon law. Pius XI approved the new statutes adapted to the constitution Deus scientiarum Dominus.
Together with the three higher faculties, C. has always promoted the thorough study of the classical and national humanities. Founded to be “a glory of religion and a most useful work for the Church” (foundation brief), it has supplied all levels of the Hispano-American ecclesiastical hierarchy with numerous priests who were its students and who distinguished themselves in the various fields of religious, social, and scientific apostolate and the fine arts. Its Schola cantorum, founded by the Jesuit N. Otano, is also very well known. The library of C. possesses approximately 100,000 volumes. In the series Bibliotheca Comillensis, noteworthy works have appeared, such as the juridical-canonical works of Regatillo.
Since 1918, the University has published the monthly journal Sal terrae for the clergy, and since 1942 Miscellanea C., of a distinctly scientific character, to which the series Ciencia y Arte e Humanidades has recently been added.