Querini, Angelo Maria

Querini, Angelo Maria, an illustrious Italian prelate of the Church of Rorne, was born at Venice. of noble parentage, in 1680. He first studied under the Jesuits, and at the age of seventeen entered the Benedictine order. Having become well acquainted with the Greek, Hebrew, and Biblical learning, he was made instructor of the novices, for whom he wrote a dissertation, De Mosaicoe Historia Praeftantia. He afterwards travelled four years in France, England, Holland, and Germany, and enjoyed the society of some of the most distinguished men of those countries. In his Comment arii de Rebus aid se Pertinentibus, he gives some account of what he saw and the conversations he had with many learned men. On his return to Italy he published several works on liturgic antiquities: Vetus Officinum Quadrayesimale Grcecice Orthodoxce: — Diatribcs ad Priosrem Partemr Veteris Officii: — De Ecclesiasticorumn Officioerum tpud Grcecos Antiquitate: — De Hymnis Quadragesimalibus Graecoreum: — De Alis Ccanticis Quadra oesimalibus. In 1721 Querini was made archbishop of Corfu, and he wrote on the antiquities and history of that island. In 1728 he was transferred to the see of Brescia, and soon after he was made a cardinal and librarian of the Vatican. It was after his promotion to the see of Brescia that he wrote his literary history of Brescia. He also published the Lives of Paul II (q.v.) and Paul III (q.v.), in the former of which he endeavored to clear the memory of that pope from the charges of Platina and other historians; and he edited a collection of the epistles of cardinal Reginald Pole. His other works consist of dissertations upon literary subjects, both sacred and profane, and of numerous epistles, chiefly in Latin. Cardinal Querini was in every respect one of the most distinguished prelates of the Roman Church in the 18th century. Spotless in his morals, modest and simple in his habits, generous, meek, and charitable, he conciliated the esteem of men of all countries and opinions. Frederick the Great wrote to him in the most flattering terms. Voltaire dedicated to him his tragedy of Semiramis and other works. Querini labored particularly to improve the town of Brescia, of which he was bishop. He completed the structure of its handsome cathedral, founded a clerical college, a house for female instruction in the Val Camonica, and, lastly, he established the public library of Brescia. He died in 1755.