Ever wondered where scholars delve deep into the early Church Fathers? That’s the Augustinian Patristic Institute. Here before us stands a unique institution dedicated to the study of patristic theology. It also studies the history and theology of the Church Fathers. Known also as the Patristicum, it operates under the supervision of the Order of Saint Augustine.
The Augustinian Patristic Institute has a rich history. It is considered a direct continuation of the fourteenth-century Studium Generale in Rome. This belonged to the Augustinian order. Later it was alongside the Biblioteca Angelica. The Augustinians established it and named it in honor of Saint Augustine. In 1873, the two institutions separated. The forerunner to the Institute moved to its current location on Via Paolo VI.
In 1970, the Augustinian Patristic Institute was inaugurated by Pope Paul VI. This happened on the Feast of St. Monica. Formally established in November 1989, it operates under the Congregation for Catholic Education. Pope Francis granted the institute the title of Pontifical in 2023. The current president is Rev. Juan Antonio Cabrera Montero.
The Augustinian Patristic Institute focuses on patristics. Its focus is also on theology, canon law and the history of ancient Christianity. Its specialized library is a treasure trove. It is one of the best for studying Early Christianity. It holds approximately 60000 volumes and 500 periodicals. The library is part of the URBiS library network.
The Institute also houses the Corpus of the Coptic Literary Manuscripts. This is an important photographic archive. It holds the largest number of texts and fragments of Coptic Christian literature.
The Augustinian Patristic Institute’s journal is called Augustinianum. It has been published since 1961. It releases two issues per year. These contain original research and reviews. They relate to the study of ancient Christian literature and the Fathers of the Church. Since 2010, all issues are available online.
The Augustinian General Curia purchased this small villa in 1882. It became the new center of the Order. This followed the government seizure of the Convent of St. Augustine. An international community of professors and friars also transferred here. This community later expanded into what is now the Collegio Santa Monica.
Many religious orders have their headquarters near the Vatican. The Augustinians’ relationship with the Holy See is of great importance. They are one of the few orders without a specific historical founder. Saint Augustine is their spiritual founder. Their historical foundation came through the initiative of the Roman Curia. Rome continues to serve as the center for leadership. It is an expression of the abiding Unity of their spiritual family. So here at the Augustinian Patristic Institute, the legacy of Saint Augustine continues to inspire. It fosters a deeper understanding of early Christian thought and its relevance today.