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About Quaracchi

Our community of Franciscan Friar scholars is called the Collegium Sancti Bonaventurae, reflecting our common life and work under the patronage of the Franciscan scholar of the Middle Ages, St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio. We are an International Center for Franciscan Studies and Research, with a publishing program called Quaracchi Editions, referring to our original home in a small town in Tuscany just outside Florence.

Today we live and work in the centre of Rome, in the beautiful setting of St. Isidore’s College of the Irish Franciscan Friars.

About Quaracchi
Research at Quaracchi

Our Mission

Our work aims to make known the important insights of Franciscan writers of the last 800 years in diverse fields of learning, from philosophy and theology to geography and economics.

The Quaracchi Editions currently lists over 300 titles of scholarly works reflecting this rich Christian intellectual tradition.

Our History

1870

Fr. Bernardino da Portogruaro, Franciscan Minister General, charges Fr. Fedele da Fanna with preparing an edition of the Complete Works of St Bonaventure.

1874

600th Anniversary of the death of St. Bonaventure.

1875-77

Friar scholars take up residence in Florence (Via delle Pinzochere 7).

1877

Founded in 1877 at Quaracchi, near Florence, the Collegium began its work by publishing the critical edition of the works of St. Bonaventure (10 volumes, 1882-1902).

Over the years our scholars have published the original texts (usually Latin) of Franciscan thinkers like Alexander of Hales, John Duns Scotus, and Bernardine of Siena. In addition, we have discovered and published little-known works, sometimes anonymous, that often make their own important contributions to the Franciscan spiritual and intellectual tradition.

The impressive library of the Collegium was built up over the last 150 years to support our research. Its holdings reflect the broad spectrum of contributions to Christian thought and practice by members of the Franciscan Family. This world-wide family includes religious and lay men and women attracted by the ideals of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. The Quaracchi publications today include the twice-yearly appearance of the historical journal Archivum Franciscanum Historicum, and a regular series of texts related to Franciscan history, theology and spirituality.

1879

10 friars at Quaracchi (4 Italians, 6 Germans) working on Bonaventure texts.

1881

August 12, Fr. Fedele, age 43, dies at Quaracchi from tuberculosis.

Fr. Ignatius Jeiler named prefect of the Bonaventure commission.

1882

Printing press established at Quaracchi.

1882-1902

Complete Works of St. Bonaventure (10 vols.) published at Quaracchi.

1885-97

Analecta Franciscana I-III published.

1903

Fr. Leonhard Lemmens named prefect of Quaracchi Friar Editors.

Work begins on Summa Theologica of Alexander of Hales, Bonaventure's teacher.

1908

First issue of Archivum Franciscanum Historicum, the College's scholarly historical journal.

1914-18

World War I: Quaracchi friars from France and Germany called up for military service.

1916-19

Alexander of Hales team publishes 2nd edition of the Sentences of Peter Lombard in 2 vols.

1924

Publication of Alexander of Hales, Summa Theologica, Vol. I.

1927

Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the College.

Scotist Commission established to publish works of Bl. John Duns Scotus.

1938

Scotist Commission relocated to Collegio S. Antonio, Rome.

1939-45

World War II: College suffers damage but no injuries from bombing.

1940

Commission established to publish works of St. Bernardine of Siena.

1948

Publication of final volume (IV) of Alexander of Hales, Summa Theologica.

1950

Scotist Commission publishes first 2 volumes of Works of Scotus (Prologue, Ordinatio).

1966

Publication of the final volume (IX) of the Works of St. Bernardine of Siena.

November 4, disastrous flooding of the Arno River, Quaracchi building and printing presses badly damaged.

1971

College moved to Grottaferrata, in the Alban Hills outside Rome.

Publication of the Sentences of Peter Lombard, 3rd ed., Vol. I.

1973

Dominican friars of the Leonine Commission, publishing the complete Works of St. Thomas Aquinas, join the Grottaferrata community.

1981

Publication of the Sentences of Peter Lombard, 3rd ed., Vol. II.

2008

College moved to St. Isidore's, above Piazza Barberini, in the center of Rome.

Archivum Franciscanum Historicum celebrates its 100th anniversary.

2013

Scotist Commission publishes final volume of Works of Scotus, Vol. XIV (Ordinatio).

2017

Board of Regents is appointed to oversee the development of the College.

2018

College presents first collaborative conference with Swiss Institute of Rome: "Peter of John Olivi on the Human Person".

2020

Launch of new Quaracchi Website by Longbeard Digital Media Design.

Members of the Collegium

Br. Juri Leoni, OFM

Br. Juri Leoni, OFM

Project: Alexander of Hales

Br. Florian Mair, OFM

Br. Florian Mair, OFM

Project: Alexander of Hales

Br. Nazareno Mariani

Br. Nazareno Mariani, OFM

Project: Franciscus de Marchia

Br. Benedikt Mertens, OFM

Br. Benedikt Mertens, OFM

Editor, Archivum Franciscanum Historicum, Analecta Franciscana

Dr. Aaron Gies

Dr. Aaron Gies

Research Fellow, 2019-21
Project: Alexander of Hales, Postil on the Gospel of John

Br. William Short, OFM

Br. William Short, OFM

Director, Collegium S. Bonaventurae

Br. Ryan Thornton, OFM

Br. Ryan Thornton, OFM

Research Fellow, 2019-20
Project: Giraldus Odonis, De contractibus

Br. Mateusz Wierzbicki

Br. Mateusz Wierzbicki, OFM

Project: Alexander of Hales

Board Members

Members of the Board of Regents

Fr. Dr. Giuseppe Buffon, OFM (Professor of Modern and Contemporary Church History, Dean, Faculty of Theology, Pontifical University Antonianum, Rome)
Prof. Dr. Jacques Dalarun (Director of Research, Emeritus, Institut de recherche et d’histoire des textes, Centre Nationale de la recherche scientifique, Paris)
Prof. Dr. Gerard Pieter Freeman (Medieval History, Emeritus, Tilburg University, The Netherlands)
Prof. Dr. Mary Elizabeth Ingham, CSJ (Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego, USA)
Prof. Dr. John McCafferty (Department of History, Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute, University College, Dublin, Ireland; Chairman, Irish Manuscripts Commission)
Fr. John Puodziunas, OFM (Member of the Board, Academy of American Franciscan History; General Treasurer, Order of Friars Minor, Rome)
Prof. Dr. Marianne Schlosser (Faculty of Catholic Theology, University of Vienna, Austria; International Theological Commission, Vatican)
Prof. Dr. Daniele Solvi (Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"; Scuola Superiore di Studi Medievali e Francescani, Pontifical University Antonianum, Rome)
Fr. Dr. Cesare Vaiani, OFM (Theological Faculty of Northern Italy, Milan; Secretary General for Formation and Studies, Order of Friars Minor, Rome)