Odorico Raynaldi

Odorico Raynaldi or Rinaldi (Latin: Odericus Raynaldus; 20 June 1594 – 22 January 1671), also known as Raynald, was an Italian historian and Oratorian.

Biography

Raynaldi was born at Treviso of a patrician family and studied at Parma and Padua. He joined the Oratorians in Rome, where he was twice elected superior-general of his congregation. He was offered the direction of the Vatican Library by Innocent X, but declined the position. He died at Rome on 22 January 1671.

Raynaldi's major work was the continuation of the Annales Ecclesiastici of Baronius, extending it from 1198 to 1565 and including reproductions of numerous original documents. This was published at Rome, 1646-77; he also published excerpts in Latin and Italian both from the work of Baronius and his own continuation of it. The Catholic Encyclopedia criticizes his work for "inaccurate chronological data and lack of criticism", while valuing the primary sources reproduced in it.

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Odorico Raynaldi — Oratorian, b. at Treviso in 1595; d. at Rome, 22 January, 1671. Of patrician birth, he studied at Parma and Padua, joined the Oratorians in Rome, and, distinguished for his piety, beneficence, and scholarship, was twice elected superior general of his congregation. He was entrusted with the continuation of the annals of Baronius and, after the publication of the first volume, was offered the direction of the Vatican library by Innocent X, which honour he declined. His continuation of Baronius extends from 1198 to 1565 and was published at Rome, 1646-77. He was the ablest continuator of the great historian. Although his work is marred here and there by inaccurate chronological data and lack of criticism, the numerous original documents which it reproduces render it very valuable. Raynaldi also published excerpts in Latin and Italian both from the work of Baronius and his own continuation of it.

MANSI in Baronius-Theiner, pp. iii-viii; Annales Eccles., XX (Bar-le-Duc, 1870), 3-8.

Bibliography

• Odorico Rinaldi entry (in Italian) by Giovanni Battista Picotti in the Enciclopedia Treccani, 1936
• Christensen, A. M. (1967). "Rinaldi, Odorico (Raynaldus)". New Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: McGraw-Hill. Korfmacher, 1967.
• Aikin, John (1813). General Biography: Or, Lives, Critical and Historical, of the Most Eminent Persons of All Ages, Countries, Conditions, and Professions, Arranged According to Alphabetical Order, Volume 8. p. 557. Retrieved 16 June 2020.

External links

• Guazzelli, Giuseppe Antonio (2016). "RINALDI, Odorico". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (in Italian). Vol. 87: Renzi–Robortello. Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. ISBN 978-88-12-00032-6.