(1740-1758) Born Bologna, Italy, 1675 as Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini; died Rome, Italy. After filling many important offices he became a cardinal, and later archbishop of Bologna. As pope he adopted a liberal policy in dealing with foreign powers, abolished usury, encouraged commerce, improved agricultural methods, reformed the nobility, and decreased taxation. He influenced spiritual matters by his Bulls and Encyclicals, regulated mixed marriages, settled the controversies regarding the Malabar and Chinese rites, and revised the Roman Martyrology. As a scholar he founded academies of history, law, liturgy, and established chairs of mathematics and science. He wrote a useful work on canon law. Macaulay calls him "The best and wisest of men."
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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