Vatican School of Palaeography, Diplomacy and Archivistics

The Scuola vaticana di paleografia, diplomatica e archivistica (Vatican School of Palaeography, Diplomacy and Archivistics) is a higher school of the Holy See whose purpose is to train palaeographers and archivists. It was founded on 1 May 1884 by Pope Leo XIII as a department of the Vatican Secret Archives, on the initiative of Isidoro Carini (1843–1895), a historian and palaeographer renowned in his day. The original aim was to turn the Vatican's private archives into an international centre for historical research, and to form ecclesiastics specialised in palaeography and comparative history. The school's programme was reformed in 1953, and Pope Paul VI gave it a new seat at the Cortile del Belvedere, next to the Vatican Apostolic Library, while creating the offices of Cardinal Librarian and Archivist of the Holy Roman Church. From 1968 the direction of the school was entrusted to the Prefect of the Secret Archives, later the Vatican Apostolic Archives; since 2024 this has been Father Rocco Ronzani. The school's current foundations were defined in 1976. Three curricula lead to a diploma. The first is a two-year course dominated in the first year by Latin palaeography, general diplomatics and archivistics, and in the second year by codicology, sigillography (added in 2000) and pontifical diplomatics. Two further one-year courses are also offered: Greek palaeography and archivistics. The three curricula are open to laypeople holding a five-year degree or an equivalent university diploma, and to ecclesiastics holding a licentiate or doctorate. Candidates must be presented by a higher university institution, an ecclesiastic, or a person known in the world of teaching or research. For the two-year course and the Greek palaeography course, admission depends on passing a written examination in Latin for the former and in Greek for the latter. The school's diplomas have been recognised by the Italian State since 1984, and teaching is given in Italian. The school is governed by a Presidential Council that includes Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Archivist of the Church; Father Rocco Ronzani, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives and director of the school; and Father Mauro Mantovani, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library. Direction and administration are led by Rocco Ronzani as director and prefect of the Apostolic Archives, with Paolo Vian as deputy director and professor at the school. The school is closely linked to the Vatican Apostolic Archives and the Vatican Apostolic Library, and it celebrated its first centenary in 1984 with a miscellany published under the title Le chiavi della memoria.

The Scuola vaticana di paleografia, diplomatica e archivistica was founded on 1 May 1884 by Pope Leo XIII as a department of the Vatican Secret Archives. The project was driven by Isidoro Carini (1843–1895), a historian and palaeographer renowned in his time. The founding purpose was twofold: to train ecclesiastics specialised in palaeography and comparative history, and to transform the Vatican's private archives into an international centre for historical research. The school's programme was reformed in 1953. Pope Paul VI later gave it a new seat at the Cortile del Belvedere, immediately next to the Vatican Apostolic Library, and at the same time created the offices of Cardinal Librarian and Archivist of the Holy Roman Church. From 1968, the direction of the school was entrusted to the Prefect of the Secret Archives, later renamed the Vatican Apostolic Archives. The school's current foundations were defined in 1976. In 1984 the school marked its first centenary; a miscellany titled Le chiavi della memoria was published on that occasion, and in the same year its diplomas were recognised by the Italian State. In 2000 sigillography was added to the second year of the two-year curriculum. Since 2024 the direction has been held by Father Rocco Ronzani, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives. Throughout its history the school has remained attached to the Vatican's archival and library institutions. Its teaching is given in Italian, and its diplomas carry Italian State recognition. The school is governed by a Presidential Council that brings together the Archivist of the Church, the Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives (who serves as director), and the Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library. Its faculty and administration include Paolo Vian as deputy director and professor. The school maintains a bibliography of its own publications, including programme booklets, facsimile collections, and inaugural lectures for its biennial courses.

• 2024

  Father Rocco Ronzani becomes director, as Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives.

• 2000

  Sigillography is added to the second year of the two-year curriculum.

• 1984

  First centenary; diplomas recognised by the Italian State; centenary miscellany Le chiavi della memoria published.

• 1976

  The school's current foundations are defined.

• 1968

  Direction of the school is entrusted to the Prefect of the Secret Archives (later Vatican Apostolic Archives).

• 1953

  The school's programme is reformed.

• 1884

  Founded on 1 May by Pope Leo XIII as a department of the Vatican Secret Archives, on the initiative of Isidoro Carini.

A pontifical higher school of the Holy See dedicated to the professional formation of palaeographer-archivists, attached to the Vatican Apostolic Archives and recognised by the Italian State.

• Two-year diploma course

  First year: Latin palaeography, general diplomatics, archivistics. Second year: codicology, sigillography (added 2000), pontifical diplomatics.

• Greek palaeography annual course

  One-year course; admission requires passing a written examination in Greek.

• Archivistics annual course

  One-year course in archivistics.

1. 1Wikidata: Scuola vaticana di paleografia, diplomatica e archivisticawikidata.org
2. 2École vaticane de paléographie, de diplomatique et d'archivistique — Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org