UGO of SAINT-VICTOR. - Theologian and philosopher, born ca. 1096, probably at Hartingham in Saxony (his descent from the family of the counts of Blanckenburg is uncertain), died in Paris on 11 February 1141.
After a stay at the Augustinian abbey of Hamersleben (near Halberstadt), he arrived between 1115 and 1118 at Saint-Victor in Paris (welcomed by Abbot Gilduino [v.]), where he became CHAMPLEVE (v.) and, from 1125, a professor. In 1133 he became director of the school and shortly thereafter also held the office of prior. Osterio, infirmarian of Saint-Victor, recounts the edifying details of the death of the theologian, who was little more than forty years old (PL 175, 161-63), and who was immediately regarded as a saint (miracles were attributed to him), though he never received public cult.
While passing over his notable writings *De Grammatica* (ed. J. Leclercq, in *Archives d'histoire littéraire et doctrinale du moyen âge*, 14 [1945], pp. 263-322), *Epitoma Philosophiae* (ed. B. Hauréau, *Hugues de St-Victor. Nouvel examen de ses œuvres*, Paris 1859, pp. 162-75), *Chronica* (ed. G. Waitz, in MGH, *Scriptores*, XXIV, pp. 86-97) and others of a similar nature, which reveal his interest in all knowledge, it is necessary to recall his numerous essays in biblical exegesis: *De Scripturis et scriptoribus sacris praenotatiunculae* (PL 175, 9-28), a treatise on hermeneutics; *Adnotationes elucidatoriae in libros Regum* (ibid. 95-114); *In Salomonis Ecclesiastes homiliae 19* (ibid. 113-256); *Adnotationes elucidatoriae in Threnos Jeremiae* (ibid. 255-322); *Explanatio in Canticum B. Mariae V.* (ibid. 413-32); *Orationis dominicae expositio* (ibid. 774-89); a commentary on Heb 4:12-15, 2 is found in PL 177, 289-94. In the vast and confused *Miscellanea*, in 7 books (PL 177, 469-90), further critical investigation may distinguish notable exegetical parts belonging to U. (cf. C. Spicq, *Esquisse d'une histoire de l'exégèse au moyen âge*, Paris 1944, pp. 120-22 and passim).
The widespread reputation of Ugo as a mystic, which he commonly enjoys to the detriment of his more deserved reputation as a dogmatic theologian, is based on numerous and valuable writings. More than from the widespread commentary on Pseudo-Dionysius (*Commentariorum in Hierarchiam caelestem s. Dionysii Areopagitae*: PL 175, 923-1154), Ugo’s spiritual doctrine emerges: a) from works on monastic life: *De institutione novitiorum* (PL 176, 925-52), *Expositio in Regulam s. Augustini* (ibid. 881-924), where he demonstrates his spiritual balance in the interpretation of both the letter and the spirit of the Rule; b) from treatises on prayer: *De meditando* (ibid. 993-98); *De modo orandi* (ibid. 977-88), on the conditions and degrees of prayer; *Soliloquium de archa animae* (ibid. 951-70); c) from small works on interior life, on which he composed an interesting trilogy: *De vanitate mundi et rerum transeuntium usu* (ibid. 703-40); *De arca Noe morali* (ibid. 617-80): he indicates in the soul as the temple of God, in the Church, in Wisdom the ark of salvation; *De arca Noe mystica* (ibid. 681-704): he develops the same subject under the veil of symbolism, of which he progressively offers the explanation. The same theme of the mystical ark returns in the suggestive contemplation *De operibus trium dierum* (ibid. 811-38). Mystical union is also described in *De amore Sponsi ad sponsam* (ibid. 987-94) and in *De laude caritatis* (ibid. 969-76).
In the dogmatic-moral sphere, Ugo established himself with numerous and important works: *Eruditio didascalica*, or *Didascalion* (ibid. 739-812; critical ed. by Ch. H. Buttimer, Washington 1939); an introduction to the study of the liberal arts, written with broad vision (=omnia disce: videbis postea nihil esse superfluum; coarctata scientia iucunda non est): *ibid.* 860 and 801), constitutes one of the capital works of medieval pedagogy; *Institutiones in decalogum legis dominicae* (ibid. 9-18); *De Verbo Incarnato collationes tres* (ibid. 177, 315-24); *De quatuor voluntatibus in Christo* (ibid. 176, 841-46); *De sapientia animae Christi an aequalis cum divina fuerit* (ibid. 845-56); *De B. M. virginitate* (ibid. 857-76); *De Assumptione B. M. sermo* (ibid. 177, 1209-1222); *De quinque septenis seu septenariis* (ibid. 175, 405-14): here the seven capital vices are related to the seven petitions of the Our Father, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven principal virtues, and the seven beatitudes (though the seven Sacraments are omitted).
With the term *sacramentum*, Ugo generally indicates the holy things revealed by Scripture, that is, all theology (*tota divinitas*): *Eruditio didascalica*, I. VI, cap. 4: PL 176, 803). Such is the meaning of the title of the dialogue *De sacra mentis legis naturalis et scriptae* (ibid. 17-42) and of the masterpiece *De sacramentis christianae fidei* (ibid. 173-618), by which he acquired imperishable fame. The author sets out to expound the theological content of the Bible and therefore divides the work into two books corresponding to the two Testaments: the first book studies the *opus conditionis* as a prelude to the Incarnation and thus in 12 treatises develops the matter concerning God, the creation of the Angels, the world and man, original sin, reparations, and the Law. The second book speaks of the *opus reparationis* in 18 treatises: Jesus Christ, the Church, ecclesiastical orders and offices, sacraments, virtues, the end of the world, and future life. In this broad and harmonious development of theology, he avoids the centrality of Christ, strongly felt by the author and indicated with verve from the prologue (PL 176, 183).
Unlike Laon (v.), which preferred anthropology and soteriology, Ugo preferred to develop theodicy, Christology, ecclesiology, and sacramental theology, without neglecting the rest. His style is clear, his Latin dignified, and his erudition is present though not obtrusive. This passionate student of the Fathers, especially St. Augustine, rather than repeating their words, assimilates their thought, which he fuses into a personal synthesis that, while fundamentally faithful to tradition, also connects with the new. Ugo senses the problems emerging from his age of ferment and, even if he does not resolve them, he advances new proposals, sometimes ingenuous, often brilliant. At least from the scholastic methods already in vogue in the school of Abelard (v.), he loves the spontaneous unfolding of ideas and problems, *more Patrum*. For these and other characteristics, the admirable *De sacramentis* (which remains even today an invaluable introduction to dogmatic theology) enjoyed well-deserved success. With it, its author, already in correspondence with the highest personalities of his time, made his authority felt upon Peter Lombard and St. Thomas, and through these two pillars of the School definitively entered into the development of Western theological thought. Exalted by Dante (Paradiso, XII, 133), admired by distinguished thinkers in the Renaissance, cited by the renewed Scholasticism of the 17th century, he still enjoys universal sympathy. - See plate LXX.
Bru.: A. Mignon, Les origines de la Scolast. et Hugues de St-Victor, Paris 1895; F. Vernet, H. de St-V., in DTHC, VII, cols. 239-306; H. Weissweiler, Die Wirksamkeit des Sakram. nach H. von St. V., Freiburg im Br. 1932; W. A. Schneider, Gesch. und Geschichtspolitik, bei H. von St. V., Münster 1933; P. Pession, L'Ordine sacro e i suoi gradi nel pensiero di U. di S. V., in La Scuola catt., 5th ser., 37 (1936), pp. 124-49; E. Poppenberg, Die Christologie des H. von St. V., Hiltrup 1937; H. Weissweiler, H. von St. V. Dialogus de Sacramentis legis naturalis et scriptae als frühscholast. Quellenwerk, in Misc. Mercati, II, Vatican City 1946, pp. 170-219; J. De Ghellinck, L'essor de la littérature lat. au XIIe siècle, I, Brussels-Paris 1946, pp. 51-53 and passim; id., Le mouvement théol. au XIIe siècle, 2nd ed., Brussels-Paris 1948, pp. 185-97 and passim (v. index); A. Landgraf, Einführung in die Gesch. der theol. Literatur der Frühscholastik, Regensburg 1948, pp. 73-79; F. Pelster, U. di S. V., in Enc. Ital., XXXIV, p. 615; E. Kleineidam, Literargeschichtl. Bemerkungen zur Eucharistielehre H. von St. V., in Scholastik, 20-24 (1949), pp. 564-66; H. Weissweiler, Die Arbeitsmethode H. von St. V. Ein Beitrag zum Entstehen seines Hauptwerkes De Sacramentis, in Scholastik, 20-24 (1949), pp. 256-66; D. Van den Eynde, H. de St-V. source de Pseudo-Etienne Langton, in Rech. de théol. anc. et méd., 17 (1950), pp. 61-78; H. Weissweiler, Zur Einflussphäre der 'Vorlesungen' H. von St. V., in Mélanges J. De Ghellinck, II, Gembloux 1951, pp. 527-81; id., Die Ps.-Dionysiuskommentare 'In Caelestem Hierarchiam' des Skotus Eriugena und Hugo von St. Viktor, in Recherches de théologie anc. et méd., 19 (1952), pp. 26-47. Antonio Piolanti