Quotes:Bellarmino, Roberto Francesco Romolo

Zirkoff, Boris

Bellarmino, Roberto Francesco Romolo. Italian cardinal and theologian, b. at Monte Pulciano, Tuscany, Oct. 4. 1542 ; d. at Rome, Sept. 17, 1621. Entered the Society of Jesus, 1560; studied theology at Padua, 1567-68; ordained priest, 1570, and began to lecture on theology at Louvain. In 1576, having returned to Rome, he was chosen by Gregory XIII to lecture on the same subject in the new Roman college. His lectures appeared in the famous work, Disputationum de controversiis Christianae Fidei adversus huius temporis Haereticos (3 Vols., 1581, 1582, 1593; Venice, 1721) ; which aroused considerable controversy from the Protestant side. He was made cardinal, 1599, and archbishop of Capua, 1601. There existed between him and Galileo a bond of mutual respect and friendship. Bellarmino’s life was a model of Christian virtue, and he ranks very high among Catholic controversialists. His devotional treatises were very popular among English Catholics. The main source of his life is his Latin Autobiography (Rome, 1675; Louvain, 1753). His Complete Works in eight volumes appeared at Naples (1856-62, repr. 1872), and in twelve volumes at Paris (1870-74). His essay entitled *De ecclesia triumphante is part of the Disputationum, etc., being in the 2nd volume thereof.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 11, p. 567