Giuseppe Bianchini

Who was Giuseppe Bianchini?

Giuseppe Bianchini was an Italian Oratorian, biblical, historical, and liturgical scholar. Clement XII and Benedict XIV, who highly appreciated his learning, entrusted him with several scientific labors. Bianchini had contemplated a large work on the texts of the Bible, Vindiciae Canonicarum Scripturarum Vulgatae latinae editionis, which was to comprise several volumes, but only the first, in which, among other things, are to be found fragments of the Hexapla, was published. Much more important is his Evangeliarium quadruplex latinae versionis antiquae, etc., 2 vols.. Among his historical works may be mentioned the fourth volume which Bianchini added to the publication of his uncle, Francesco Bianchini, Anastasii bibliothecarii Vitae Rom. Pontif.; he also published the Demonstratio historiae ecclesiasticae quadripartitae. The chief liturgical work of Bianchini is Liturgia antiqua hispanica, gothica, isidoriana, mozarabica, toletana mixta. He also undertook the edition of the works of B. Thomasius, but only one volume was issued.

In addition he investigated and wrote an account of the reported spontaneous combustion of the Countess Cornelia Zangari.