CISH 2026
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70 years of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences and its Contribution to Church Historiography

  • Date

    I. Wednesday, 26.08.2026, 14:00-15:30

  • Location
    House 5 - SR 143
  • Theme
    J - Connections, Entanglements, and Universal Perspectives on History

Abstract

Established by Pope Pius XII in 1954 as the Holy See's representative at the CISH-Comité International des Sciences Historique, the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2024. Since 1989 it has published the “Atti e Documenti” Collection, which hosts Conference Proceedings, monographs and editions of historical sources. The three interventions of the Panel are aimed at describing the structure, themes and characteristics of this Collection, which was born and developed in the service of the historiographical production of the Holy See and of the Universal Church, according from the beginning to the requests, the interpretative problems and the research perspectives of numerous autonomous and independent academic and scientific centers and institutions which refer to the great tradition of historical studies and erudition cultivated within the Catholic Church. The aim is to frame the historiographical production of the Pontifical Committee, through its 70 volumes that have happily greeted the first 70 years of existence, through three distinct analytical perspectives: the founding ideals of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences and the dynamics of its function of cultural diplomacy and scientific dialogue; the specific scientific contribution through the description of its publications in a continuous dialogue with international historiographical production; the Pontiffs and History through the messages and audiences granted to the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences. In accordance with the CISH Centenary celebrations, the first 70 years of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences through its ideals and its publications can contribute to the understanding of the Historiography between the Past, the Present, and the Future of History.

Convenor

  • Rocco Ronzani   (OSA, Apostolic Vatican Archive)

Panelists

  • Marek Inglot SJ (Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences)
  • Antal Molnar (Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences)
  • Pierantonio Piatti (Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences)

Papers

  • The founding ideals of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences and its diplomacy of culture

    Marek Inglot SJ

  • The historiographical and editorial Series of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences. Themes, problems, research perspectives

    Antal Molnar

  • The Popes and History through their messages to the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences.

    Pierantonio Piatti