View source for Pontifical universities in Rome

{{Roman Catholicism|size=large}}

A '''pontifical university or ''athenaeum''''' is a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[university]] established by and directly under the authority of the [[Holy See]].  It is licensed to grant [[academic degree]]s in sacred faculties, the most important of which are [[theology]], [[Canon law of the Catholic Church|canon law]], and [[philosophy]]. Pontifical universities follow a [[Europe]]an system of degrees in the sacred faculties, granting the [[bachelor's degree|baccalaureate]], the [[Licentiate (degree)|licentiate]], and the [[doctorate]].

As defined by the [[1983 Code of Canon Law|1983 ''Code of Canon Law'']]:

{{Blockquote | '''''[[Canon (canon law)|Can.]] 814''''' The prescripts established for universities apply equally to other institutes of higher learning.

'''''Can. 815''''' Ecclesiastical universities or faculties, which are to investigate the sacred disciplines or those connected to the sacred and to instruct students scientifically in the same disciplines, are proper to the Church by virtue of its function to announce the revealed truth.

'''''Can. 816 §1.''''' Ecclesiastical universities and faculties can be established only through erection by the [[Apostolic See]] or with its approval; their higher direction also pertains to it.

'''''§2.''''' Individual ecclesiastical universities and faculties must have their own statutes and plan of studies approved by the Apostolic See.

'''''Can. 817''''' No university or faculty which has not been erected or approved by the Apostolic See is able to confer academic degrees which have canonical effects in the Church.<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2P.HTM ''Code of Canon Law''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200312131000/http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2P.HTM |date=2020-03-12 }}, Chapter III, Book III. Vatican Archives. Accessed 01-29-10</ref> }}

Independent institutions or individual faculties at non-pontifical universities may also be given charters by the [[Holy See]] (under canon 814) to grant pontifical degrees, usually in one or two specific fields. These are referred to as a "pontifical faculty," "pontifical institute," or "pontifical athenaeo" to distinguish them from an entire "pontifical university," which incorporates at least four faculties, including theology, canon law, and philosophy.

The [[Vicariate of Rome|vicariate (diocese) of Rome]] has established an office for campus ministry and the pastoral care of students, the Office of [[Pastorale Universitaria]]. This office serves students at the pontifical universities as well as those enrolled at state universities.

== Academic degrees ==

Pontifical universities divide studies into 3 cycles: the first cycle of varying duration, after which is obtained a Bachelor (''Baccalaureato''), the second cycle, which leads to the conferment of a License degree (''Licenza''), and finally the third cycle, which grant a ''Graduate'' degree (''Dottorato'').<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html |title=Veritatis Gaudium, Part 1, Section VI |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2021-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414163744/https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html |title=Veritatis Gaudium, Part 2, Section I |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2021-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414163744/https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The duration of courses varies from university to university.

In [[Italy]] "degrees in [[theology|Sacred Theology]] and other specific ecclesiastical disciplines ([[Biblical studies|Sacred Scriptures]], [[Canon Law]], [[Spirituality]], [[Liturgy|Sacred Liturgy]], [[Missiology]], and [[Religious Studies|Religious Sciences]]),<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/gu/2019/07/10/160/sg/pdf |title=Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica, 27 maggio 2019 , n. 63 |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2022-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803024543/https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/gu/2019/07/10/160/sg/pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> conferred by a Faculty approved by the [[Holy See]] are recognized by the [[Sovereign state|State]]" pursuant to art. 10/II of the 25 March 1985 n.21 Law (OJ No 28, April 10, 1985). However, no measures were taken designed to establish a priori the equivalence with the titles conferred by Italian universities. It is therefore not possible to predetermine a mandatory equivalence for qualifications issued by pontifical universities with those issued by state universities. Indeed, in [[Italy]], constant changes make it very complex to unify a university curriculum with the problem of equality that must be resolved, at their request, from time to time by the relevant Ministry of Education, University and Research.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bolgiani |first=Isabella |date=April 2005 |title=Riconoscimento civile dei titoli accademici ecclesiastici in Italia: brevi note relative alla sentenza del T.A.R. per la Campania n. 3687 dell’11 aprile 2005. |url=http://www.olir.it/areetematiche/73/documents/Bolgiani_Titoli_di_studio.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730054603/http://www.olir.it/areetematiche/73/documents/Bolgiani_Titoli_di_studio.pdf |archive-date=2016-07-30 |website=OLIR |language=it}}</ref>

== Courses ==
Generally, Pontifical universities are composed of the three traditional ecclesiastical faculties of Theology, Philosophy, and Canon Law. Additionally, they might include the ecclesiastical faculties of Sacred Scriptures, Sacred Liturgy, Spirituality, Missiology, and Religious Sciences. However, after approval from the Holy See, faculties for other ecclesiastical and non-ecclesiastical degrees have also being erected in Pontifical institutions. The Apostolic Constitution [[Veritatis gaudium|Veritatis Gaudium]] (in its Appendix II)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html |title=APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION "VERITATIS GAUDIUM" ON ECCLESIASTICAL UNIVERSITIES AND FACULTIES |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2021-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414163744/https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html |url-status=live }}</ref> lists the following: [[Christian Archeology]], [[Bioethics]], [[Social communications]], [[Civil law (area)|Civil Law]] (and ''Utriusque iuris''),<ref>''Utriusque iuris'' literally means of "both rights," that is, of Civil (or Roman) Law and Canon Law, for which the Pontifical Institute of ''Utriusque Iuris'' was created at the Pontifical Lateran University. In this regard, this faculty respects the tradition of teaching law in the traditional form prior to the 18th century codifications of the when law faculties taught, along with theology, the two major schools of legal thought: Canon law and Roman/Civil law</ref> [[Christian literature|Christian]] and [[Classics|Classical Letters]], [[Environmentalism|Holistic Ecology Studies]], [[Judaic studies|Judaic Studies]] and [[Christian-Jewish relations|Jewish-Christian Relations]], [[Sacred Music]], [[Oriental_studies|Ancient Near Eastern Studies]], [[Psychology]], [[Education sciences|Educational Sciences]], [[Social Sciences]] (which include the [[Catholic social teaching|Social Doctrine of the Church]]),<ref>[https://www.unigre.it/en/social-sciences/programs-and-courses/licentiate-majoring-in-social-doctrine-of-the-church-and-public-ethics/ Faculty of Social Sciences] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104153710/https://www.unigre.it/en/social-sciences/programs-and-courses/licentiate-majoring-in-social-doctrine-of-the-church-and-public-ethics/ |date=2022-11-04 }} The Social Sciences Faculty of the Pontifical Gregorian University offers a specialization in the Social Doctrine of the Church.</ref> [[Church history|Church History]] (which includes the [[Cultural Heritage|Cultural Heritage of the Church]]),<ref>[https://www.unigre.it/en/history/ History and Cultural Heritage of the Church] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104153707/https://www.unigre.it/en/history/ |date=2022-11-04 }} The Church History Faculty of the Pontifical Gregorian University offers a specialization in Cultural Heritage of the Church.</ref> [[Arab studies|Arab]] and [[Islamic studies|Islamic Studies]], [[Eastern Christianity|Oriental Studies]], [[Marriage in the Catholic Church|Studies on Marriage and Family]], and [[Peace and conflict studies|Studies in Peace Sciences]]. Although not included in the list, the studies of [[Patristics|Patristic Sciences]] should be mentioned as well, since the [[Patristicum|Augustinian Patristic Institute]] was specifically founded for the study of both Western Patristics (Theology of the Church Fathers) and Western Patrology (Lives and Writings of Church Fathers), while its Eastern counterparts are studied at the [[Pontifical Oriental Institute]].

== Pontifical Institutions in Rome ==
[[Image:Pontificia Università Gregoriana facciata notte.jpg|thumbnail|370px|right|The Pontifical Gregorian University.]]

[[Rome]] has twenty-two pontifical institutions.<ref name=CRUIPRO>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cruipro.net/elenco-con-menu/ |title=Conferenza Rettori Università e Istituzioni Pontificie Romane (CRUIPRO). (Language: Italian) |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2022-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104030124/https://www.cruipro.net/elenco-con-menu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They are organized as pontifical universities (with respect to can. 815), and pontifical athenaea, institutes of higher education, and faculties (these with respect to can. 814). (The Religious Order or other ecclesiastical body responsible for the administration of the university is listed in parentheses.)

=== Pontifical Universities (can. 815) ===
* [[Pontifical Gregorian University|Pontifical Gregorian University "''Gregoriana''"]] ([[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]])
* [[Pontifical Lateran University|Pontifical Lateran University "''Lateranum''"]] ([[Diocese of Rome]])
* [[Salesian Pontifical University|Pontifical Salesian University "''Salesianum''"]] ([[Salesians of Don Bosco|Salesian Fathers]])
* [[Pontifical University of the Holy Cross|Pontifical University of the Holy Cross "''Santa Croce''"]] ([[Opus Dei]])
* [[Pontifical University Antonianum|Pontifical University of St. Anthony "''Antonianum''"]] ([[Order of Friars Minor|Franciscans]])
* [[Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas|Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas "''Angelicum''"]] ([[Dominican Order|Dominicans]])
* [[Pontifical Urban University|Pontifical Urban University "''Urbaniana''"]] ([[Dicastery for Evangelization]])

=== Pontifical Athenaea (can. 814) ===
* [[Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum|Pontifical Athenaeum "''Regina Apostolorum''"]] ([[Legionaries of Christ]])
* [[Pontificio Ateneo Sant Anselmo|Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm "''Anselmianum''"]] ([[Benedictines]])

=== Pontifical Faculties (can. 814) ===
* Pontifical Faculty of Education "''Auxilium''" ([[Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco|Salesian Sisters]])<ref name=CRUIPRO/>
* [[Pontifical Theological Faculty Teresianum|Pontifical Faculty of Theology and Institute of Spirituality "''Teresianum''"]] ([[Discalced Carmelites]])
* [[Marianum|Pontifical Theological Faculty "''Marianum''"]] ([[Servites]])
* [[Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure|Pontifical Theological Faculty of St. Bonaventure "''Seraphicum''"]] ([[Order of Friars Minor Conventual|Conventual Franciscans]])

=== Pontifical Institutes (can. 814) ===
* [[Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family|Pontifical Institute "John Paul II" for Marriage and Family Sciences]]
* [[Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies]] "PISAI" ([[White Fathers]])
* Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology "PIAC"<ref name=CRUIPRO/>
* [[Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music]] "PIMS"
* Pontifical Institute of Ambrosian Sacred Music "PIAMS" at Milan [outside of Rome, but associated to PIMS]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://unipiams.org/about/ |title=Pontifical Institute of Ambrosian Sacred Music: About us. (Language: Italian) |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2022-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104030125/https://unipiams.org/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Pontifical Institutions incorporated or associated to others (can. 814) ===
* [[Pontifical Biblical Institute|Pontifical Institute for Biblical Studies "''Biblicum''"]] ([[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]]) [associated to Gregoriana]
* [[Pontifical Oriental Institute|Pontifical Institute for Eastern Studies "''Orientale''"]] ([[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]]) [associated to Gregoriana]
* [[Patristic Institute Augustinianum|Pontifical Institute for Patristic Sciences "''Augustinianum''"]] ([[Order of Saint Augustine|Augustines]]) [incorporated into Lateranum]
* [[Institute of the Theology of the Consecrated Life Claretianum|Pontifical Institute of Theology of Consecrated Life "''Claretianum''"]] ([[Claretians]]) [incorporated into Lateranum]
* [[Academy Alphonsian|Pontifical Institute of Moral Theology "''Accademia Alfonsiana''"]] ([[Redemptorists]]) [incorporated into Lateranum]

=== Others ===
Four historical Pontifical Institutions in Rome have been incorporated into larger Pontifical Universities becoming discipline-specific faculties:
* Pontifical Institute for Pastoral Ministry "''Redemptor Hominis''" [Serves as Faculty of Pastoral Theology at ''Lateranum'']<ref name=PUL>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pul.it/en/who-we-are/ |title=Pontifical Lateran University: Who we are? |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2022-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104031628/https://www.pul.it/en/who-we-are/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Pontifical Institute of ''Latinitas'' [Serves as Faculty of Christian and Classical Literature at ''Salesianum'']<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://latinitas.unisal.it/page/3196-storia |title=History of the Faculty of Christian and Classical Literature at the Pontifical Salesian University. (Language: Italian) |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2022-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104030125/https://latinitas.unisal.it/page/3196-storia |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Pontifical Institute of Sacred Liturgy]] [Serves as Faculty of Sacred Liturgy at ''Anselmianum'']<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.anselmianum.com/it/offerta-accademica/pontificio-istituto-liturgico |title=Pontificio Istituto Liturgico. (Language: Italian) |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2022-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104030125/https://www.anselmianum.com/it/offerta-accademica/pontificio-istituto-liturgico |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Pontifical Institute of ''Utriusque Iuris'' [Comprising the Faculties of Canon Law and Civil Law at ''Lateranum'']<ref name=PUL/>

Some Roman Pontifical Institutions are associated with other institutions in [[Jerusalem]]:
* ''Pontificium Institutum Biblicum'' [incorporated into ''Biblicum'']<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblico.it/jerusalem.html |title=Jerusalem branch of the Pontifical Biblical Institute. |access-date=2022-11-04 |archive-date=2003-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031017015306/https://www.biblico.it/jerusalem.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[Studium Biblicum Franciscanum]]'' [incorporated into ''Antonianum'']
* ''[[Ratisbonne Monastery#Studium Theologicum Salesianum|Studium Theologicum Salesianum]]'' [incorporated into ''Salesianum'']

For completeness of information, a pontifical institute of higher learning, the [[Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy]] in Rome, takes care of the preparation of the [[priest]] for the service [[diplomacy]] of the [[Holy See]] of various [[Apostolic Nuncio|nunciatures]] or in [[Secretariat of State (Holy See)|Secretary of State of the Holy See]].

== References ==
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{{Pontifical universities in Rome}}
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[[Category:Pontifical universities]]
[[Category:Universities in Italy]]
[[Category:Seminaries and theological colleges in Italy]]