Dear Friends of the Bollandists
When we tell the story of the first Bollandists, a question often arises: How did these pioneers, navigating a world far less interconnected than ours, gather the materials essential for their work? Correspondence and literary journeys is our answer but is that all? The letters within our archives reveal that our forebears went beyond mere transactions and they formed friendships which transcended distances, religious orders, and church denominations, forming a bedrock of trust. Friends who not only supplied them with research materials but also offered advice and, at times, even disagreed with them.
Fast forward to the present day, and we see the continuation of this tradition. Each personal message on a Christmas card exchanged between Bollandists and fellow academics is more than a professional formality; it is an opportunity to connect on a personal level, sharing stories that extend beyond the confines of our research. In their turn, these personal contacts give birth to projects and valuable collaborations. This spirit of camaraderie extends globally as we travel abroad to advocate for the significance of our work in today’s world. Your warm welcome, unwavering support, and genuine friendship are not just appreciated but treasured. We are profoundly grateful for the friendships that have sustained us.
Here’s to the enduring friendships that know no borders, and to the hope that our paths will cross once more soon.
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey.
With heartfelt wishes from all of us in the Library for a peaceful Christmas and a blessed New Year.
Irini de Saint Sernin
Offer the Gift of digitising a manuscript or copper plate this Christmas
This Christmas, let’s come together and give the gift of a digitized legacy. Your contribution, no matter the size, is a step towards ensuring that the spirit of our history lives on.
As of March 2024, the digitised copies will be online for the benefit of the wider public.
You can support this project by using the link below to make a tax-deductible gift:
If you have any questions, please email us at saintsernin@bollandistes.be
We thank you in advance for your generosity and we extend our gratitude to those who support us already.
In 1591, in Rome, the Oratorian priest Antonio Gallonio published his famous “Trattato de gli instrumenti di martirio e delle varie maniere di martoriare usate da’ gentili contro christiani”. It contained 47 plates, drawn by Giovanni Guerra and engraved by Antonio Tempesta, illustrating all the methods of torture undergone by the early martyrs.
In the Latin edition of 1594, entitled “De SS. martyrum cruciatibus”, the text was considerably expanded but the number of illustrations was reduced to 25, of lesser quality. Further editions were published in Cologne in 1602, in Paris in 1660 (with all Tempesta’s engravings), and in Antwerp in 1668. Our Library contained the latter two editions. The generosity of two donors has allowed us to complete our collection: through two different booksellers and only a few months apart we have succeeded in acquiring the first two original editions of 1591 (in Italian) and 1594 (in Latin).
On the road for another awareness campaign:
Recently, the St Ignatius Church in New York, Boston College, St Ignatius Prep School, and Lumen Christi Institute in Chicago, as well as the Jesuit High School in Tampa, served as hubs for disseminating knowledge about our work. Professor Carlos Eire ensured the success of the first two lectures, Fr. Conedera SJ in Chicago, and Fr. Molvarec SJ in Tampa. Their presentations showcased different aspects of the importance of our work. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the venues accessible, got everything organised, and publicized the events. Special appreciation goes to those who went out of their way—changing plans, rebooking tickets, and, in a word, making it possible to be with us on these occasions. We are especially grateful for the efforts of Frs. Hilbert and Yesalonia in New York, Professor Mooney and Fr. Paulson in Boston, John Chandler, Daniel Wasserman, and their wonderful collaborators in Chicago, Fr. Hermes SJ in Tampa, Mr and Mrs J. Starshak, and Ms Alietia Caughron.
Find out what is in the next issue of Analecta Bollandiana 141, II December 2023:
Paolo LA SPISA. Una recensione araba cristiana della leggenda dei Sette Dormienti di Efeso . ..241
Michael ZELLMANN-ROHRER. The Coptic Martyrdom of Saint Chamoul. Together with the Edition of an Unpublished Fragment of a Homily (?) on the Birth of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Andreas KLINGENBERG. Die Vita des Alypios Stylites (BHG 65) und das Christentum im paphlagonischen Hadrianoupolis . . . . . 334
José Carlos MARTÍN-IGLESIAS. El expediente hagiográfico latino de San Ramón de Roda († 1126) (BHL 7074-7078) . . . . . . 359
François DE VRIENDT. Olbert de Gembloux hagiographe. Hypothèses autour de deux œuvres composées à Troyes (début du XIe siècle ?) . 403
Bernard JOASSART. Glanures d’histoire bollandienne – 4 . . . . 440
