Add MS 8656

FRANCESCO SAVERIO SALVATI: Dissertation relating to the communicatio in divinis of Armenian Catholics with the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church; 1788. Italian and Latin. Autograph. The text relates to the religious issue of allowing the Armenians Catholics or Armenian Uniates to have communicatio in divinis (communion in holy matters) with the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. The communion with heretical and schismatic churches was then and still is condemned by the Roman Church and therefore prohibited to all Catholics under its authority. The question of the Armenian Catholics was raised by the Marquis Giovanni de Serpos or Serposian in a work dedicated to Pope Pius VI and entitled Dissertatione polemico-critica sopra due dubbi di coscienza concernenti gli Armeni Cattolici, sudditi dell'Impero Ottomano presentata alla Sacra Congregazione di Propaganda (Venice: Carlo Palese, 1783), B.L. copies C.66.f.13 (binding bearing the arms of Pope Pius VI) and 7.b.11 (George III's binding). Salvati's dissertation strongly opposes the arguments in favour of such a communion presented by the Marquis de Serpos and offers an account of the history of the Armenian Church. The work was commissioned by and dedicated to Cardinal Vitaliano Borromeo (d. 1793). The MS. is entitled (f. 1) 'Della Comunicazione in Divinis delli Cattolici cogli Eretico-Scismatici Armeni residenti in Costantinopoli. Dissertazione dell'Abate Francesco Saverio Salvati' with later addition 'diretta al Cardinale Vitaliano Borromeo'. Dedication letter (ff. 2-11), inc. 'Eminenza / La causa dei Cattolici Armeni in Costantinopoli, che dimandano dalla Sacra Congregazione', expl. 'umilmente mi rassegno di Vostra Eccellenza Roma il giorno di S. Mattia [24 Feb. or 14 May] 1788 / umilissimo ... servitore Francesco Saverio Salvati'. Inc. (f. 13) 'Sulla Comunicazione in Divinis degli Armeni Cattolici di Costantinopoli nelle Chiese scismatiche della loro nazione. Risposta alla Dissertazione polemico-critica sopra due dubi [sic] proposti alla Sacra Congregazione di Propaganda Fide / Proemio / L'una e l'altra Armenia sa e vanta di non ignorare le origini della sua Ortodossia', expl (f. 162) 'atque totum hoc, sicut et coetera, quae sunt huiusmodi, Sanctae Sedis Apostolicae iudicio humillime submitto'. The text is divided into three parts (ff. 13-88, 89-131, 132-162), with three separate original paginations and indexes (ff. 12-12v, 90-90v, 133). Part ii and iii are respectively entitled (f. 89) 'Della Comunicazione in Divinis dei Cattolici Armeni cogli Scismatici della stessa nazione residenti in Costantinopoli nella partecipazione dei Sacramenti ed altri atti di religione / Parte Seconda', (f. 132) 'Del medesimo [later changed in 'moderno'] Calendario degli Armeni / Parte Terza'. Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '358' in pencil in top right corner of f. 1. Purchased, together with Add. 8645, 8649, 8651, 8652, 8653, and possibly 8646, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 358 (part).

Paper; ff. 165+i, plus one interleaved unfoliated blank after ff. 12, 90, 133. Modern foliation '1-162' (followed here), repeating no. 101 and omitting one leaf after ff. 53 and 117. Three separated sets of original paginations in ink: - (1) '1-152' (ff. 13-88), repeating no. 42; - (2) '1-85' (ff. 91-131); - (3) '1-57' (ff. 134-162). 272 x 193mm. One Italian hand. Guilford binding of quarter vellum with marble paper covers over pasteboards.