Lugano, Placido

LUGANO, PLACIDO. - Olivetan Benedictine, abbot of S. Maria Nova at the Roman Forum, b. at Pozzolo Formigaro (Alessandria) on 16 May 1876, d. at Rome, treacherously struck down, in the night of 6 Oct. 1947.

A priest in 1899, after several years of teaching at the Benedictine Gymnasium of Settignano he was summoned in 1906 by Pius X to Rome as professor of ecclesiastical history at the Apollinare. He was a consultor of the S. Congregation of Religious (1911) and of Studies (1913), a member of the Accademia di religione cattolica (1917).

In 1901 he began the publication Spicilegium Montolivetense, to which he gave vol. I, Chronicon Montis Oliveti (1313-1450) by Antonio da Barga (Florence 1901) and vol. II, Origine e primordi dell'Ordine di Montoliveto, 1313-1450 (ibid. 1903). In 1906 he founded the Rivista storica benedettina, directing it actively for twenty years and pouring into it numerous articles of study and research; and in 1908 the series Monografie di storia benedettina, publishing its vol. I, La Congregazione Camaldolese degli Eremiti di Montecorona dalle origini ai nostri tempi (Rome 1908). Also to be remembered are Memorie dei più antichi miniatori e calligrafi olivetani (Florence 1903); L'abbazia cistercense di Rivalto Scrivia dalle origini al 1300 (Tortona 1916); L'Italia benedettina (Rome 1929); I processi inediti per Francesca Basso dei Ponziani (St. Francesca Romana) 1440-53 (Studi e testi, 156, Vatican City 1945).

Celestino Testore