Lucius Ferraris

In Prümmer's Catalogue and Haringer's Index

• “Ferraris, Lucius, O.Min., Italian (d. ca. 1760), wrote the most useful work known to everyone, Prompta bibliotheca canonica, iuridica moralis, theologica.... The edition prepared by Migne, 1860, is the best. Bucceroni published a supplement to this work in the year 1899.” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
• [**: weighty, probabilist] “Ferraris Lucius, Italian, of the Order of Minors, consultor of the sacred office (Juridical, Canonical Library, etc.), died after 1760.” — Haringer's index of writers (Gury-Ballerini) (p. XVII, sign read on the page)

His Moral System, as Our Authors Report It

Every report quoted in the author's own words and linked to its place; point at a name to see his words. Haringer's signs give St. Alphonsus's judgment as Haringer found it in St. Alphonsus's works (his notice, Gury-Ballerini, 1884, p. XI); a sign on a writer the 1884 editor added to the list is the editor's own, and is said to be his.

Works Our Authors Used

• Lucius Ferraris, Order of Minors. - Bibliotheca canonica, moralis, etc.; 8 tomes fol. (Rome, 1766). — Marc's list
• Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca canonica, juridica, moralis, etc., newest edition by the work and study of the Monks of St. Benedict, Paris, 1852-57. — Tanquerey's list
• Ferraris, Lucius, O. Min., Prompta Bibliotheca canonica, juridica, moralis, Rome, 1760; new edition edited by Migne. — Tanquerey's list

In the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)

“Lucius Ferraris”, vol. 6, by Alphonse Van Hove. Public domain; transcription from Wikisource.

An eighteenth-century canonist of the Franciscan Order. The exact dates of his birth and death are unknown, but he was born at Solero, near Alessandria in Northern Italy. He was also professor, provincial of his order, and consultor of the Holy Office. It would seem he died before 1763. He is the author of the "Prompta Bibliotheca canonica, juridica, moralis, theologica, necnon ascetica, polemica, rubricistica, historica", a veritable encyclopedia of religious knowledge. The first edition of this work appeared at Bologna, in 1746. A second edition, much enlarged, also a third, were published by the author himself. The fourth edition, dating from 1763 seems to have been published after his death. This, like those which followed it, contains the additions which the author had made to the second edition under the title of additiones auctoris, and also other enlargements (additiones ex aliena manu) inserted in their respective places in the body of the work (and no longer in the appendix as in the former editions) and supplements. The various editions thus differ from each of her. The most recent are: that of the Benedictines (Naples, 1844-55), reproduced by Migne (Paris, 1861-1863), and an edition published at Paris 1884. A new edition was published at Rome in 1899 at the press of the Propaganda in eight volumes, with a volume of supplements, edited by the Jesuit, Bucceroni, containing several dissertations and the recent and important documents of the Holy See. This supplement serves to keep up to date the work of Ferraris, which will ever remain a precious mine of information, although it is sometimes possible to reproach the author with laxism.

A. VAN HOVE