Prado, Jerónimo de

PRADO, JERÓNIMO de. - Jesuit, b. at Baeza (Andalusia) in 1547, d. at Rome on 13 Jan. 1595.

Having entered the Society of Jesus in 1572, he was for 16 years professor of exegesis in the college of Cordova and there composed the commentaries on Isaiah, Zechariah, Malachi,
on the letter to the Hebrews (unpublished) and the commentary on Ezekiel
down to ch. 26. The father general C. Aquaviva had summoned him to Rome in 1591, together with his disciple J. B. Villalpando, to finish this great work, which however he did not manage to complete. Villalpando (b. at Cordova in 1552, a Jesuit in 1565, d. at Rome on 22 May 1608) helped him by explaining the passages of Ezekiel that deal with Hebrew weights and measures; for his part he added the commentary on chs. 27-42 and on selected passages of chs. 43-48 and the drawings of the Temple in the great final vision (chs. 40-48). Moreover he published, with a very large subsidy from Philip II, the work in 3 vols.: Hieronymi Prati et I. B. Villalpandi a S. I. in Ezechielem explorationes et apparatus urbis et templi Hyerosolymitani commentariis et imaginibus illustratis (Rome 1596-1604). The work, most diligent, full of ancient, classical and patristic erudition, is very important for the history of exegesis. The two authors examine even Greek and rabbinic catenae on the Prophet, explaining especially the Hebrew words. But Villalpando, most erudite in classical architecture, imagined an architectural marvel without equal; despite the applause of his contemporaries, his attempt must be called fantastic, given the linear and rough simplicity of the true model of the Ezechielian Temple. He also edited an edition of the Exploraciones epistolarum b. Pauli Apostoli (Rome 1598) of Remigius of Auxerre, erroneously attributing them to Remigius of Reims.

Pietro Noher