Book contents
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Table
- Contributors
- General Introduction
- Part I Spaces, Liturgies, Travels
- Part II Women, Gender, Sexuality
- Part III Science, Medicine, Technology
- Part IV Education, Culture, Arts
- 21 Papal Patronage and the Reception of Classicism in Medieval Rome
- 22 Books, Libraries, and Texts
- 23 The Papacy and Printing, 1464–1633
- 24 Papal Patronage and the Arts: From the Early Christian Period to the Twentieth Century
- 25 The Papacy and Music
- 26 The Popes and Education in Early Modern Europe, 1400–1800
- 27 The Papal Wardrobe
- Select Bibliography
- Index
22 - Books, Libraries, and Texts
from Part IV - Education, Culture, Arts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2025
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Table
- Contributors
- General Introduction
- Part I Spaces, Liturgies, Travels
- Part II Women, Gender, Sexuality
- Part III Science, Medicine, Technology
- Part IV Education, Culture, Arts
- 21 Papal Patronage and the Reception of Classicism in Medieval Rome
- 22 Books, Libraries, and Texts
- 23 The Papacy and Printing, 1464–1633
- 24 Papal Patronage and the Arts: From the Early Christian Period to the Twentieth Century
- 25 The Papacy and Music
- 26 The Popes and Education in Early Modern Europe, 1400–1800
- 27 The Papal Wardrobe
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The Christian community of Rome, since its origins, was adamant in preserving written texts. Documents and books of multiple kinds were treated as important, precious objects. The history of the popes’ libraries exemplifies this approach. In addition to spreading Christianity and keeping records of discussions and decisions taken by the Church, the library was intended as a repository not only of religious books but also of literary and scientific texts of non-Christian traditions, including pagan classics and others. The mission of ensuring the conservation and spreading of the knowledge was clearly stated during humanism, when the current Vatican Apostolic Library was founded. Books were there made accessible “for the common benefit of the learned.” Such a mission continues today. The papacy considers the Library and its books to be the “heritage of mankind,” one that needs to be made available for generations through continuous technological innovations and cutting-edge preservation strategies.
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- The Cambridge History of the Papacy , pp. 628 - 655Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025