ZIGLIARA, TOMMASO

Dominican philosopher and theologian; b. Bonifacio, Corsica, Oct. 29, 1833; d. Rome, May 10, 1893. Having studied in Rome and Perugia, he taught at Viterbo (1861–70) and at the Collegium Divi Thomae in Rome (1870–79), where he became regent in 1873. In 1879 Leo XIII made him a cardinal, appointing him director of the critical edition of the works of St. Thomas Aquinas (Leonine ed.), president of the Roman Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, and prefect of the Congregation of Studies. Highly esteemed by the pope, he was consulted on the question of rosmini-serbati and took part in the preparation of important documents, including aeterni patris and rerum novarum. Having a profound knowledge of the thought of St. Thomas, he was among the best qualified neothomists. His critique of current philosophical systems (traditionalism, ontologism, and positivism) was acute and forceful, yet free from the bitterness of polemics. Through his position in the Roman Curia and his widely used Summa philosophica (17 ed. in Latin) he effectively fostered the growth of Thomism. He also helped to establish modern fundamental theology. His major works include Summa philosophica in usum scholarum (3 v. Rome 1876), De mente Concilii Viennensis (Rome 1878), Propaedeutica ad sacram theologiam (Rome 1890), and notes in volume 1 of the Leonine edition.

Bibliography: a. frÜhwirth, Analecta Sacri Ordinis Praedicatorum 1 (1893) 258–263. r. fei, Memorie Domenicane 45 (1928) 265–275. o. f. tencajoli, ibid. 52. (1935) 160–176. i. p. grossi, ibid. 78 (1961) 86–100.

[i. p. grossi]