Robert Bellarmine

:This article is about Robert Bellarmine, the Catholic Saint. For the San Jose, California boys' high school, see Bellarmine College Preparatory. For the Louisville, Kentucky college, see Bellarmine University.

New duties after 1589 - controversial writings

Until 1589 Bellarmine was occupied altogether

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as professor of theology, but that date marked

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the beginning of a new epoch in his life and of new dignities. After the murder of Henry III of France, Pope Sixtus V sent Gaetano as legate to Paris to negotiate with the League, and chose Bellarmine to accompany him as theologian; he was in the city during its siege by Henry of Navarre.

Related Topics:
Henry III of France - Pope Sixtus V - Henry of Navarre

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The next pope, Pope Clement VIII (1591-1605), set great store by him. Bellarmine wrote the preface to the new edition of the Vulgate, and was made rector of the Roman College in 1592, examiner of bishops in 1598 and cardinal in 1599. As inquisitor, he oversaw the trial and burning of Giordano Bruno.

Related Topics:
Pope Clement VIII - Vulgate - 1592 - Bishop - 1598 - Cardinal - 1599 - Inquisitor - Giordano Bruno

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In 1602 he was made archbishop of Capua. He had written strongly against pluralism and non-residence, and he set a good example himself by leaving within four days

Related Topics:
1602 - Archbishop - Capua

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for his diocese, where he devoted himself zealously to his episcopal duties, and firmly

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executed the reforming decrees of the Council of Trent.

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Under Pope Paul V (1605-1621) arose the great conflict between Venice and the papacy, in which Fra Paolo Sarpi was the spokesman of the Republic, protesting against the papal interdict, reasserting the principles of Constance and of Basel, and denying the pope's authority in matters secular. Bellarmine wrote three rejoinders to the Venetian theologians, and at the same time possibly saved Sarpi's life by giving him warning of an impending murderous attack.

Related Topics:
Pope Paul V - 1605 - 1621 - Papacy - Paolo Sarpi - Constance - Basel

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He anon had occasion to cross swords with a more prominent antagonist, James I of England, who prided himself on his theological attainments. Bellarmine had written a letter to the English archpriest Blackwell, reproaching him for having taken the oath of allegiance in apparent disregard of his duty to the pope. James attacked

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him in 1608 in a Latin treatise, which the scholarly cardinal answered at once, making merry with delicate humor over the defects of the royal Latinity.

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James replied with a second attack in more careful

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style, dedicated to the Emperor Rudolph II and

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all the monarchs of Christendom, in which he posed as the defender of primitive and truly Catholic Christianity. Bellarmine's answer to this covers more or less the whole controversy.

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In 1616, Cardinal Bellarmine notified Galileo Galilei of the decree of the Tribunal of the Inquisition against the Copernican hypothesis. When Galileo complained of rumors to the effect that he had been forced to abjure and do penance, Bellarmine wrote him a courteous letter describing what had been said, which was used in Galileo's defense at his trial in 1633.

Related Topics:
Galileo Galilei - Decree - Tribunal of the Inquisition - Copernican

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In reply to a posthumous treatise of William Barclay, the celebrated Scottish jurist, he wrote another Tractatus de potestate summi pontificis in rebus temporalibus, which reiterated his strong assertions on the subject, and was therefore prohibited in France, where it agreed with the sentiments of neither the king nor the bishops. He was among the theologians consulted on the teaching of Galileo when it first made a stir at Rome.

Related Topics:
William Barclay - Jurist - France

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In his old age he was allowed to return to his old home, Montepulciano, as its bishop for four years, after which he retired to the Jesuit college of St. Andrew in Rome. He received some votes in the conclaves which elected Pope Leo XI, Pope Paul V, and Pope Gregory XV, but only in the second case had he any prospect of election.

Related Topics:
Conclaves - Pope Leo XI - Pope Paul V - Pope Gregory XV

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Over the years, the members of his order have more than once attempted to procure his canonization, but without success. Finally he was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930; the following year he was declared a Doctor of the Church. His body rests in the Church of St. Ignatius, the chapel of the Roman College, next to the body of his student, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, as he himself had wished.

Related Topics:
Pope Pius XI - 1930 - Doctor of the Church - St. Aloysius Gonzaga

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The best of the older editions of his works is that in seven vols., Cologne, 1617; recent ones are those of Paris, 1870-74, and Naples, 1872.

Related Topics:
Cologne - 1617 - Paris - 1870 - Naples - 1872

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