Established as a studium generate by Galeazzo II Visconti, ruler of Pavia, 1361. Confirmed by Pope Boniface IX, 1389. Transferred to Piacenza, 1398. Suspended because of war, 1404-1412. Reestablished by Filippo Maria Visconti, 1412. It soon became famous excelling in Roman law, in which it surpassed even Bologna. Its fame diminished from 1600, and Empress Maria Theresa reorganized the courses, 1763, adding institutions and increasing the chairs. Because of its anti-Catholic teaching, the faculty of theology was suppressed, 1859. Connected with the university now are museum of mineralogy, zoology and camparative anatomy, cabinets of physics, normal anatomy and pathology, clinics, chemical laboratories, a cabinet of numismatics, and schools of applied engineering and pharmacy. Among its famous professors were the juris-consults, Castiglione Branda, Catone Sacco, Giasone del Maino the Magnificent, Gaspar Visconti, Filippo Portalupi; the canonists, Francesco Bossi and Trivulzio Scaramuccia; in medicine, Augusto Toscani and Gabriele Carcano; and the humanists, Filippo da Reggio, Lorenzo Valla, Francesco Filelfo, Giorgio Valla, and Demetrios Chalcocondylas.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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