Sidebar
Main Content
Primary Source Collections: Ecclesiastical
Most country-specific national source collections include some coverage of ecclesiastical history, but the major primary source collections for ecclesiastical history during the medieval period are transnational. Primary source collections of relevance to ecclesiastical history include hagiographical sources, religious writings and documents of the Christian governing structure. The most important source collection of hagiographical works (works about saints' lives) is Acta Sanctorum. However, it is supplemented by a number of other important sources--see the Hagiography section for more information. The most historically significant collections of patristic and other religious writings are Migne's Patrologia Latina and Patrologiae Graecae. However, the writings in these collections are often uncritical and filled with errors. The newer, critical Corpus Christianorum series and other critical collections largely supersede the Migne collections. Both of the Migne collections as well as the Corpus Christianorum are available in online versions, although these versions can be difficult to use and are currently incomplete.
A collection of documents examining the lives of saints, this database contains the complete printed text of the Acta Sanctorum, from the edition published in sixty-eight volumes by the Societe des Bollandistes in Antwerp and Brussels.
Paris : V. PalmeĢ, 1845-.
A vast collection of the biographies of saints, including their writings, with commentary and annotations. Arranged by saints' days. Index in v. 62.
Van Pelt Library Yarnall Collection: BX4655 .A2 1863. Also available in the Rare Book Library.
A vast collection of the biographies of saints, including their writings, with commentary and annotations. Arranged by saints' days. Index in v. 62.
Van Pelt Library Yarnall Collection: BX4655 .A2 1863. Also available in the Rare Book Library.
Paris : Migne, 1844-.
Includes both the Patrologia Latina and the Patrologiae Graecae. It has to some extent been superseded by the Corpus Christianorum. Contains some errors and poor editions.
Van Pelt Library Medieval Studies (Rm 405, non-circulating): BR60 .M4. Volumes also available in Van Pelt stacks and storage.
Includes both the Patrologia Latina and the Patrologiae Graecae. It has to some extent been superseded by the Corpus Christianorum. Contains some errors and poor editions.
Van Pelt Library Medieval Studies (Rm 405, non-circulating): BR60 .M4. Volumes also available in Van Pelt stacks and storage.
Paris : Garnier Freres, 1958-.
Supplements flawed and missing texts in Patrologia latina.
Van Pelt Library Medieval Studies (Rm 405, non-circulating): BR60 .M4. Volumes also available in Van Pelt stacks and storage. Run a title search for 'patrologiae cursus completus' for a more complete record.
Supplements flawed and missing texts in Patrologia latina.
Van Pelt Library Medieval Studies (Rm 405, non-circulating): BR60 .M4. Volumes also available in Van Pelt stacks and storage. Run a title search for 'patrologiae cursus completus' for a more complete record.
The Patrologia Latina Database is an electronic version of the first edition of Jacques-Paul Migne's Patrologia Latina, published between 1844 and 1855, and the four volumes of indexes published between 1862 and 1865. The Patrologia Latina comprises the works of the Church Fathers from Tertullian in 200 CE to the death of Pope Innocent III in 1216.
An electronic version of the first edition of Jacques-Paul Migne's Patrologiae Graecae, published between 1857-1866. To access the contents, click on the links on the Tables of Content at the bottom of the title page. The Tables of Content feature more extensive accessiblity to the contents of each volume of PG than Migne's originals. To browse through each volume, click either next or prev. To view specific columns, enter the number of that column in the area labeled Go to column and click OK (most volumes of PG are enumerated as columns rather than pages). To return to the Table of Contents at any time, click Contents. To view a printable page, click the link entitled Printable Page.
Turnhout, Belgium : Typographi Brepols, 1953-73.
Critical texts for early Christian authors. Designed to supplant Migne's Patrologiae cursus completus with new critical texts of the best of those currently extant. Texts principally in Latin and Greek, with occasional works in Coptic, Syriac, Arabic, etc.; introduction and commentary in French, German, English, Italian, or Latin, depending on the volume's editor. Subseries for medieval history include Series Latina and Continuatio mediaevalis.
Most texts in the Medieval Seminar Room. Do a title search for Corpus Christianorum in Franklin to see individual volume titles (the above link goes to only one volume).
Critical texts for early Christian authors. Designed to supplant Migne's Patrologiae cursus completus with new critical texts of the best of those currently extant. Texts principally in Latin and Greek, with occasional works in Coptic, Syriac, Arabic, etc.; introduction and commentary in French, German, English, Italian, or Latin, depending on the volume's editor. Subseries for medieval history include Series Latina and Continuatio mediaevalis.
Most texts in the Medieval Seminar Room. Do a title search for Corpus Christianorum in Franklin to see individual volume titles (the above link goes to only one volume).
Vienna : Hoelder-Pichler-Tempsky, 1866-1951.
Supplements the Corpus Christianorum with texts from late Antiquity and the very early Middle Ages.
Do a title search in Franklin to get a listing of all works in this series. Volumes in various locations.
Supplements the Corpus Christianorum with texts from late Antiquity and the very early Middle Ages.
Do a title search in Franklin to get a listing of all works in this series. Volumes in various locations.
CLCLT is a major database for Latin texts. It contains texts from the beginning of Latin literature (Livius Andronicus, 240 BC) through to the texts of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). It covers all the works from the classical period, the most important patristic works, a very extensive corpus of Medieval Latin literature as well as more recent works including texts from the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. The complete works of writers such as Cicero, Virgil, Augustine, Jerome, Gregory the Great, Anselm of Canterbury, Bernard of Clairvaux and Thomas Kempis can thus be searched. The texts have been taken from the Corpus Christianorum series and from many other leading editions.
Paris : Editions du cerf, 1941-.
An important series of critical editions with commentaries published in France beginning in 1941. Greek/Latin on left side; French translation on right side. Primary focus is on authors from the 6th century and earlier, but more recent editions include later works.
Medieval Studies Seminar: BR45 .S68. Do a title search in Franklin for sources chretiennes for a listing of individual works (the link is to the group record without individual volume titles).
An important series of critical editions with commentaries published in France beginning in 1941. Greek/Latin on left side; French translation on right side. Primary focus is on authors from the 6th century and earlier, but more recent editions include later works.
Medieval Studies Seminar: BR45 .S68. Do a title search in Franklin for sources chretiennes for a listing of individual works (the link is to the group record without individual volume titles).
Steenbrugis : In Abbatia Sancti Petri, 1995.
A list of all the Christian Latin texts from Tertullian in the second century to Bede. Each work is properly identified, and the best editions are noted, as are the newly found manuscripts, the studies on the textual transmission or on the language.
Van Pelt Library Medieval Studies (Rm 405, non-circulating): BR67 .D42 1995
A list of all the Christian Latin texts from Tertullian in the second century to Bede. Each work is properly identified, and the best editions are noted, as are the newly found manuscripts, the studies on the textual transmission or on the language.
Van Pelt Library Medieval Studies (Rm 405, non-circulating): BR67 .D42 1995
Leipzig : J.C. Hinrichs, 1897-1935.
Early Christian literature in Greek and Latin.
Volumes distributed throughout the library. Click on the link above to see a full list of titles.
Early Christian literature in Greek and Latin.
Volumes distributed throughout the library. Click on the link above to see a full list of titles.
Graz : Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, 1960-1962.
Collected Coucils of the Church.
Rare Book and Manuscript Library: Folio BX825 .A1901a. Other copies available in the Library system.
Collected Coucils of the Church.
Rare Book and Manuscript Library: Folio BX825 .A1901a. Other copies available in the Library system.
English translations of Papal Encyclicals, usually offered along with the Latin version.
© University of Pennsylvania | Last update: Wednesday, 28-May-2008 10:19:00 EDT
| 215-898-7555
| library@pobox.upenn.edu