Pontifical Oriental Institute

The Pontifical Oriental Institute, also called the Orientale, is a special school for studying Eastern Christianity. It is located in Rome. The idea to create this school started with Pope Leo XIII, but it was finally opened in 1917 by Pope Benedict XV.

The Orientale works together with two other important schools in Rome: the Pontifical Gregorian University, which was founded in 1551, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute, started in 1909. All three schools are managed by the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits.

Even though the Orientale answers to the Holy See, the Society of Jesus takes care of running it. The leader of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches serves as the chancellor, and the head of the Society of Jesus is the vice-chancellor. The Congregation for Catholic Education helps approve the school's study plans.

Starting May 19, 2024, the Orientale joined with the Pontifical Biblical Institute under the larger Pontifical Gregorian University, following new rules for the Gregorian. Every year, about 400 scholars come to the library to do research.

Mission

The Pontifical Oriental Institute is a school for advanced learning. Its main goal is to help people learn about Eastern Christian churches. It teaches about their traditions, history, and beliefs.

The school wants to teach students who already have some education. Students come from many places, including the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, and also from Europe and the Americas. They study Eastern Christian churches, their beliefs, and their cultures.

History

The early years

Santa Maria Maggiore by Alberta Pisa (1905)

The Pontifical Oriental Institute, called the Orientale, first started in a building near the Vatican called the Palazzo dei Convertendi. Later, it moved to where the Pontifical Biblical Institute is now. In 1926, it settled permanently at Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore. This place is special because the nearby Basilica of St. Mary Major reminds us of Eastern traditions. It has important artworks made a long time ago and was where important religious books were kept.

The first 100 years

Mgr Michel d'Herbigny, Bishop and Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute (Rome)

The Orientale was created in 1917 during World War I. It was meant to help Eastern Christian communities, especially after big changes in empires like Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Leaders of the Catholic Church wanted to support these communities and understand their needs better.

At first, teachers came from different groups. Later, the Jesuits took over running the school. Many important leaders helped guide the school through different times, including wars and big changes in the world. The school grew and changed over the years, becoming a important place for learning about Eastern Christianity.

The library

Students working in the library

The library at the Pontifical Oriental Institute is one of the best for studying Eastern Christianity in the world. It has many important books, including some that were saved when they were discarded during the early years of the Soviet Union.

The library was made bigger by John Paul II after he visited in 1987. There is a big conference hall called the "aula magna" where people from many places come to talk about important topics.

Academics

The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, which shares the square with the Pontifical Oriental Institute

The Pontifical Oriental Institute has two main areas of study. One focuses on religious subjects, and the other on Eastern church laws. Originally, there was just one area of study that included topics like theology, worship practices, and church laws. Learning many languages is very important here. Students mainly study in Italian, but also learn ancient Greek, Syriac, Russian, and Church Slavonic. Other languages like Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopic, and Georgian are also part of the studies. Recently, modern Greek and Romanian have been added too.

The institute is also known for its important books and research papers. It started publishing in 1923 and has many well-known series that experts and libraries use. These publications help share knowledge about Eastern Christianity and church laws with the world.

Notable achievements

Symposium on the crises in Syria hosted at the Orientale, 2017

The Pontifical Oriental Institute has helped create important documents for Eastern Christian churches, giving them their own laws to follow. Professors there also worked on important historical documents from a meeting in Florence many years ago.

Other important work includes studying special church services, translating old writings, and researching history and art from early churches in parts of Asia.

Notable professors

Renowned liturgist of the Orientale, Professor Robert Taft, SJ.

The Pontifical Oriental Institute has had many important teachers. Guillaume Jerphanion, a Jesuit, became well known for his work on archaeology and churches carved in stone in Cappadocia. Marcel Viller, also a Jesuit, taught at the institute before helping create a major book called Dictionnaire de Spiritualité.

Other famous teachers include Irenée Hausherr, who helped establish the study of Eastern spirituality, and Juan Mateos, who helped start a school of study comparing different church services. The institute has also been home to experts in many areas, like Arab-Christian literature and the history of the church.

Notable alumni

The Pontifical Oriental Institute has educated many important leaders in Eastern Christianity. Some well-known alumni include Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, who studied there from 1963 to 1968, and Patriarch Gregorios III Laham, among others.

President Barack Obama meets with Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, an alumnus of the Orientale.

Other notable graduates include cardinals, patriarchs, and church leaders from around the world, such as Cardinal Josef Slipyj and Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster. The institute has also trained scholars and theologians who have made significant contributions to their fields.

Publications

The Pontifical Oriental Institute has several important publications. Orientalia Christiana Analecta shares detailed books written by experts about Eastern Christianity. Orientalia Christiana Periodica includes articles and reviews of books.

There are also other publications such as Kanonika, which talks about church laws, and Anaphorae Orientales, which prints special prayers used in Eastern Christian services. Edizioni Orientalia Christiana also releases individual works.