Giuseppe Catalani

Who is Giuseppe Catalani?

Giuseppe Catalani, 1698 - 1764, also known as Catalano or Catalanus, was a Roman Catholic liturgist of the eighteenth century, a member of the Hieronymite Oratory of San Girolamo della Carità.

He remains famous for his correct editions of the chief liturgical books of the Roman Church, some of which are still in habitual use, and which he enriched with scholarly commentaries illustrative of the history, rubrics and canon law of the Roman Liturgy. Among these are the Pontificale Romanum, with a learned introduction and notes, and based on the best manuscripts; Caeremoniale episcoporum; Sacrarum Caeremoniarum sive rituum ecclesiasticorum S. R. ecclesiae libri tres...; Rituale Romanum Benedicti XIV jussu editum et auctum....

Catalani is also the author of works on the history, series, duties and privileges of two important curial offices: De Magistro Sacri Palatii libri duo and De Secretario S. Congregatione Indicis libri duo. We owe him also annoted editions of two works much used for the spiritual formation of the Catholic clergy: the letter of St. Jerome A Nepotianum suum and St. John Chrysostom's work on the priesthood, De Sacerdotio, Rome, 1740.