Philippe Alegambe (22 January 1592,
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
- 6 September 1652,
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
) was a Belgian
Jesuit priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...
and
bibliographer
Bibliography (from and ), as a discipline, is traditionally the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology (from ). English author and bibliographer John Carter describes ''bibliography ...
.
Biography
After completing High School studies in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, Alegambe went to Spain, in the service of the Duke of Osuna. When the latter was sent as
Viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...
to
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
(1611) Alegambe accompanied him as private secretary. There he entered the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
at
Palermo, on 7 September 1613. He further studied at the
Roman College
The Roman College ( la, Collegium Romanum, it, Collegio Romano) was a school established by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1551, just 11 years after he founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). It quickly grew to include classes from elementary school t ...
in Rome. After ordination to the
priesthood (1621) Alegambe was sent to teach
Philosophy and
Theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
at
Graz,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, and for three years traveled through Europe (
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
), as preceptor of the
Prince of Eggenberg's son. Back to Graz he taught
Moral Theology
Ethics involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior.''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy''"Ethics"/ref> A central aspect of ethics is "the good life", the life worth living or life that is simply sati ...
to Jesuit students (1633–38). In 1638 he was again on the road: he accompanies the young prince to Rome, as part of an embassy sent by the Emperor to pope
Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As p ...
. At the end of the mission Alegambe is retained in Rome by
Mutius Vitelleschi,
Superior General of the Society of Jesus, to become his Latin secretary. Alegambe was also superior of the Roman
professed house
In the Society of Jesus, a professed house was a residence where - in a spirit of radical poverty - no member had a stable income. The Jesuit priests who lived there, all of whom have made the profession of the four vows, undertake their spiritual ...
of the Jesuits.
Main work
He is chiefly remembered for his ''Bibliotheca Scriptorum Societatis Jesu'', published in Antwerp (1642). It was a continuation and enlargement of Father
Pedro de Ribadeneira's Catalogue, which had been brought up to 1608. This updating of the ''Bibliotheca'' was done with the help of
Jean Bolland
Jean Bolland ( la, Johannes Bollandus) (13 August 1596 – 12 September 1665) was a Jesuit priest, theologian, and prominent Flemish hagiographer.
Bolland's main achievement is the compilation of the first five volumes of the ''Lives of th ...
.
Other writings
*''Bibliotheca Scriptorum Societatis Iesu'', 1643.
*''De vita et moribus P. Ioannis Cardim Luisitani, e Societatis Jesu'', Rome, 1645.
*''Acta Sanctae Justae virg. et mart., ex variis MSS''.
*''Heroes et victimae caritatis Societatis Jesu'', Rome, 1658.
Bibliography
*
SOMMERVOGEL, C.: ''Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus'', vol.1, (pp. 151–153), Brussels-Paris, 1890–1932.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alegambe, Philippe
1592 births
1652 deaths
Jesuits of the Spanish Netherlands
Spanish Netherlands historians
Belgian bibliographers