Pontifical Academy

A pontifical academy is an academic honorary society established by or under the direction of the Holy See. Some were in existence well before they were accepted as "Pontifical." Currently there are eleven Pontifical academies at the Vatican in Rome, in the following areas:

Name (Area) Founded Task
Fine Arts and Letters of the Virtuosi al Pantheon 1542 To study, cultivate, and perfect the fine arts
Sciences 1603 To honor and promote research
Theology 1718, 1956 promotes the authentic Catholic faith
Archaeology 1810 Promotes Christian archeology and the history of Christian art
Martyrs 1879 Promotes the veneration of the martyrs and the study of the catacombs
St. Thomas Aquinas 1879 Promotes the study of Thomism
Mary 1946 Promotes Mariology
Life 1994 Promote and defend life; headed formerly by Bishop Elio Sgreccia, and now by Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, former rector of the Pontifical Lateran University.
Social Sciences 1994 Promotes social, economic, political, and legal sciences in the light of the church's social teachings
Latin 2012 Promotes the dissemination and education of Latin.

The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, a prestigious institution which is headed by a Titular Archbishop and is charged with training the Catholic clergy who will serve as Apostolic Nuncios, Pro-Nuncios, or Papal Delegates (in other words, Papal Ambassadors, and lesser diplomats) is not one of the Pontifical Academies, but is one of the Roman Colleges.

Famous quotes containing the word academy:

    The academy is not paradise. But learning is a place where paradise can be created.
    bell hooks (b. c. 1955)