Jean Bolland
Jean Bolland | |
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Jean Bolland (
Bolland's main achievement is the compilation of the first five volumes of the Lives of the Saints in
Life and work
Jean Bolland was born 13 August 1596
In 1630 he was called to Antwerp by the superior of the
Bolland began by outlining an even more ambitious plan. Rosweyde had confined his quest of original texts to libraries in the Flanders and neighbouring regions. Rosweyde had proposed to publish only the original texts, without commentaries or annotations, but Bolland decided to give all the information he could find for each saint and his cult, to preface each text with a study of its author and its historical value, and to append notes of explanation.[3] He visited monastic libraries, collecting and copying a considerable number of documents.
Arrival of Henschen
Shortly after arriving in Antwerp, Bolland had already succeeded in putting in good order the documents relating to the saints of January, and had found a publisher, Jan van Meurs. He decided to organize the entries according to the Roman Calendar. After working in Antwerp for five years, it became apparent that the task was too great for one man. Bolland asked for an assistant and this request was supported by the abbot of Liessies Abbey, Antoine de Wynghe, who provided a stipend. In 1635 he was joined by a former pupil, Godfrey Henschen,[2] who started to work on the February saints, while Bolland prepared the material for January. Bolland suggested that Henschen undertake a couple of the saints of February and draft a commentary. When he saw how comprehensive was Henschen's work, he called back his pages from the publisher, and together they revised them.[5] After fourteen years of work, the two volumes for January were printed in Antwerp in 1643.[4]
Work on the January volume was done in two garrets where Bolland kept his papers and books. As climbing the steep steps began to prove difficult, he asked for and obtained the use of a vacant room on the second floor, which later became the Bollandist Museum.[6] The three volumes for February were released in 1658.[4] Henschen continued to labor at the publication of the Acta Sanctorum up to the time of his death in 1681.
In 1659 Bolland received assistance from a third Jesuit,
Jean Bolland died in Antwerp, aged 69, in 1665.
References
- ^ "Father John Bolland, S.J.", Jesuit Stamps
- ^ a b c Syre S.J., Otto. "Bolland, Jean", Calendar of the society of Jesus
- ^ a b c De Smedt, Charles. "The Bollandists." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 26 Mar. 2015
- ^ a b c "Jean Bolland, founder of the Bollandists", The Jesuits of the Province of Southern Belgium and Luxembourg
- ^ ISBN 9780824720384
- ^ Delahaye, Hippolyte S.J., The Work of the Bollandists, Princeton University Press 1922
- ^ "Bolland, Jean (1596-1665)", Jesuit Resource