Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas - General Information - Angelicum Traditions and Annual Events

Angelicum Traditions and Annual Events

• The Solemn Inauguration of the Academic Year occurs in October or early November and includes a "Mass of the Holy Spirit" and a celebration for all members of the university. A formal address is given by an invited speaker.
  • 2009 Wojciech Giertych, Theologian of the Pontifical Household, "Why There Are So Few Thomist Saints?"
  • 2008 Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, "La natura dell'attività' del Legislatore nella Chiesa"
  • 1953 Alcide De Gasperi, Founder Christian Democratic Party, Italian Prime Minister 1945-1953, European Union founding member. "The International Workers Movement and a United Europe".
  • 1948 Giulio Andreotti, member of provisional parliament tasked with writing the new Italian constitution. Future Prime Minister of Italy, "The Intellectual Mission of Italy and of a United Europe".
  • 1928 Réginald Marie Garrigou-Lagrange, theologian.

• High Solemn Mass and Encomium of Angelicum patron St. Thomas Aquinas: Traditionally on 7 March, the pre Vatican II feast day and death anniversary of St. Thomas Aquinas a high Solemn Mass is offered, followed by an encomium honoring the "angelic doctor." This is one of the Angelicum's oldest traditions dating back to 6 February 1344 when Pope Clement VI granted to those visiting a church of the Dominican Order on 7 March the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas the remission of one year and forty days of purgatory. After the offertory of the Mass the motet O Doctor optime by Vincenzo De Grandis (1577-1646) was sung in four voices. After Mass a Dominican student or invited speaker recites an encomium in honor of St. Thomas.
  • 2013. Angelo Vincenzo Zani presider, Congregation for Catholic Education Secretary, Titular Archbishop of Volturnum, Angelicum Theology Faculty alumnus.
  • 2012. Giuseppe Sciacca presider, Secretary-General of the Governatorate of Vatican City, alumnus of the Angelicum Canon Law Faculty.
  • 1914. Hyacinthe-Marie Cormier Master of the Order of Preachers gave the encomium. Cormier was proclaimed Blessed in 1994 by Pope John Paul II.
  • 1893. Cardinal Sebastiano Galeati Archbishop of Ravenna gave the encomium..
  • 1622. Reginaldo Lucarini, Master of the Sacred Palace (1643), gave the encomium
  • 1555. Pope Paul IV gave the encomium in praise of St. Thomas to the community at the Minerva.
  • 1495. Tommaso Inghirami, poet and orator, delivered his "Panegyricus in memoriam divi Thomae Aquinatis"
  • 1457. Lorenzo Valla famed humanist gave the encomium. The community of the Minerva studium generale also pressed Valla to voice humanist criticism of scholastic thomism.

• Students and professors participate in a Concert Talent Show; a multicultural exhibition of music, song and dance from around the world.

• On one of the days immediately preceding or following November 15, feast day of St. Albert the Great, teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas and Doctor of the Church, a lectio magistralis is given in the Aula Minor San Raimondo.

• Angelicum Alumni Achievement Award is conferred upon Angelicum alumni who have distinguished themselves by serving the Church's mission in exceptional ways. The award is bestowed on March 7, the old feast day of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Patron of the University. Past recipients include John Cardinal Foley (2009), Archbishop Peter Smith (2011), and Edwin Frederick Cardinal O'Brien (2012).

• Pope John Paul II Lecture on Interreligious Understanding is delivered towards the end of each academic year and features a world religious leader or renowned expert who embodies the ideals of inter-religious understanding. The lecture is a major event at the Angelicum and attracts the Roman academic community as well as the international diplomatic community. To date the Annual Lecture has hosted an array of prominent and Internationally known academics and religious leaders as key note speakers."
  • 2012 Cardinal Kurt Koch, President, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, "Building on Nostra Aetate: 50 Years of Christian- Jewish Dialogue"
  • 2011 Professor David F. Ford, Anglican theologian, Cambridge University Regius Professor of Divinity, Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme Director, "Jews, Christians and Muslims Meet around their Scriptures: An Inter-faith Practice for the Twenty-first Century"
  • 2010 Mona Siddiqui, Islamic Scholar and Professor of Islamic Studies and Public Understanding at the University of Glasgow, "Islamic Perspectives on Judaism and Christianity"
  • 2009 Rabbi Michael Schudrich, Chief Rabbi of Poland, "A Rabbi’s Reflection on the Teachings of John Paul II"
  • 2008 Donald Wuerl, S.T.D. Archbishop of Washington, DC, "Unifying Religious Threads that Provide a Common Ground for Peace"

• There are ongoing series of occasional lectures by persons of note relevant to the university's teaching mission.
  • 2013, 16 April, Romano Prodi, former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Italy gave a lectio magistralis at the Angelicum entitled “I grandi cambiamenti della politica e dell’economia mondiale: c’è un posto per l’Europa?” ("The Great Changes in Politics and the World Economy: Is there Room for Europe?). Prodi was sponsored by the Angelicum and the Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi as promotion for the degree offered in Political Science, "Scienze Politiche e del Buon Governo."

• There is a Eucharistic Procession at the end of each academic year led by a guest Church dignitary. The procession departs from the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, continues around the Angelicum's central courtyard, through the main corridors and ends in the Church of Saints Dominic and Sixtus for Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
  • In 2012 the Eucharistic Procession was led by James D. Conley, Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Denver, USA.
  • In 2011 it was led by Marc Cardinal Ouellet, Prefect for the Congregation for Bishops.
  • In 2010 it was led by Piero Marini.
  • In 2009 the Eucharistic Procession was led by Raymond Leo Burke, Prefect for the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

• The Angelicum is the only Pontifical University in Rome that has Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration. On class days (Monday-Friday) from 8:00am–6:20pm Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel near the entrance of the Choir at the Angelicum. Students can sign up to be "Eucharistic Guardians" for an hour giving them the opportunity to pray for a series of intentions administration, faculty, staff and students post in the intention sheet. This is organized by the University chaplaincy and the students themselves following the Dominican tradition of the Eucharist being at the center of the life of study.

• The Closing of the Academic Year is celebrated with a Solemn Mass at the end of May.