Sara Colombo
The alphabetical navigation is intuitive and supports efficient research within the digital archive.
Questions about Enciclopedia Cattolica
What is Enciclopedia Cattolica?
Enciclopedia Cattolica is a digital edition of the twelve-volume Catholic encyclopedia originally published between 1948 and 1954 in Vatican City. It provides access to more than 22,000 articles, including English translations, and allows users to browse alphabetically or by volume. The site also includes supplementary illustrations, tables, and historical information about the edition.
What specific topics and entries are available on the site?
The encyclopedia contains 19,795 entries written by 1,665 authors and is available in both Italian and English. Users can read articles on topics such as dioceses, historical figures, and theological terms, with recent entries covering Rome, the Bible, Mary, the Crusades, the Vatican, Thomas Aquinas, Saint Paul, and Ignatius of Loyola.
How is the digital edition created and what is the cost to access it?
The digital edition was restored entry by entry from the printed volumes of the original 1948–1954 publication. It is offered as a free online resource for reading, studying, and exploring the content of the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Who published the original encyclopedia and what were the key approval details?
The original encyclopedia was published by the Ente per l'Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico in Vatican City, with editorial work carried out by Casa Editrice G. C. Sansoni of Florence. It received the Nihil obstat on 9 October 1948 and the Imprimatur from Archbishop Aloysius Traglia.
What was the dedication and presentation context of the original work?
The encyclopedia was dedicated to Pope Pius XII in the 50th year of his priesthood and the 10th year of his elevation to the Chair of Peter. It was presented by Cardinal Pizzardo as a conscious expression of Catholic apostolate in response to contemporary skepticism.
What subscription features and daily content are offered to users?
Visitors can subscribe to receive daily emails featuring today's Martyrology, a reading, and a featured article. The service sends one short email each morning, which can be confirmed or unsubscribed from at any time.
What user account and interface customization options are available?
The website allows users to save articles, verses, and chapters, and offers a sign-in feature that requires only an email link with no password. Users can also adjust text size, theme, and language settings directly on the site.
What specific browsing and study tools does the platform provide?
The site includes a 'Study by subject' feature, a 'Get lost in a random entry' tool, and a section dedicated to 'The plates' and 'The printed pages' for visual exploration of the original volumes.
What religious calendar and feast-day features are included?
The encyclopedia includes a 'Follow the Church's year' feature and a 'Daily saints & feasts' section that provides information on the Roman Martyrology on a day-by-day basis.
How are the original illustrations and plates integrated into the digital edition?
The encyclopedia includes a 'The plates' feature which displays original illustrations, such as Plate XLI, XLII, XLIII, and XLIV from the Constantinople entry in Volume IV.
How are the original printed page layouts preserved in the digital version?
The encyclopedia includes a 'The printed pages' feature that allows users to view the original text layout, such as the entry for Constantinople spanning columns 732–767 in Volume IV.
What random exploration and data tools are available to users?
The encyclopedia includes a 'Random' feature that allows users to explore entries without a specific search query, alongside a 'Data' section for technical details.
Who are some of the notable authors contributing to the encyclopedia?
The encyclopedia includes an 'Authors' section that lists contributors like Guglielmo de Vries, Ignazio Ortiz de Urbina, Giorgio Hofmann, Enrico Josi, Nicola Turchi, and Renato Bartoccini.
What legal and support mechanisms are provided for the project?
The encyclopedia includes a 'Rights' section that outlines the legal and usage terms for the content, alongside a 'Support the work' section for financial contributions.
What transparency and process information is available to users?
The encyclopedia includes an 'Updates' section that tracks changes and new content, alongside a 'How it is made' section that explains the digitization process.
AI-generated from reviews on this page. Verify anything important with the company directly.
Luca Ferrari
Browsing by letter is a convenient feature that allows for quick lookup of specific topics within the twelve volumes. The structure clearly separates the volumes by year, from 1948 to 1954, which helps in understanding the scope of the publication.
Giulia Bianchi
While the website provides a wealth of historical metadata, it remains ambiguous regarding what exactly is being offered to the reader. We learn that the editorial work was carried out by Casa Editrice G. C. Sansoni and that the text received ecclesiastical approval, but the digital experience itself is not described. There is no mention of subscription models, download options, or reading formats. The presentation suggests a comprehensive resource, yet the interface seems to merely list articles like 'Modon' or 'Moghila' without indicating how one interacts with the content. For someone looking to use this as a study tool, the available information is insufficient to determine if this is a static archive or a searchable database. The dedication to Pope Pius XII is noted, but the practical value for a modern user is not clearly articulated.
Marco Rossi
At first glance, the site presents the Enciclopedia Cattolica as a substantial resource with over twenty thousand articles. It is interesting to see how this 1948-1954 edition has been digitized. The presentation text by Cardinal Pizzardo sets a serious tone, which feels appropriate for the historical context of the work.
Elena Marchetti
The online interface makes accessing these twelve volumes straightforward. Navigating by letter is simple, and the inclusion of both Italian and English articles provides excellent utility for researchers studying Catholic culture.
News
No news yet. This is where the business shares its own updates and press.
Photos
No photos yet. Photos shared by reviewers will show up here.
Widgets
Get the widget for your site →About Enciclopedia Cattolica
Enciclopedia Cattolica is an online edition of the twelve-volume Catholic encyclopedia originally published between 1948 and 1954 in Vatican City. It provides access to more than 22,000 articles from the original Italian publication, along with English translations of the content. The site allows visitors to browse articles alphabetically by letter or by volume, view supplementary illustrations and tables, and read about the history of the edition. Recent entries cover topics such as dioceses, historical figures, and theological terms.
- Website
- azioneromana.com
- Categories
- Publishing