Studium Biblicum Franciscanum
(Jerusalem)
A short history

The most significant dates
The idea came about in 1901, within the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, of creating a "Studium Biblicum Franciscanum" in Jerusalem as a centre for research and teaching. It began in the friary of the Flagellation, where it still has its seat, during the academic year of 1923-1924. In 1927 it was recognised as an integral part of the College of St. Anthony in Rome and in 1933 as part of the Pontifical Athenaeum Antonianum in Rome. In 1960 it was promoted to being the biblical department of the Faculty of Theology of the said Athenaeum. On The 4th of September 2001 the Congregation for Catholic Education raised it to be
THE FACULTY OF BIBLICAL SCIENCES AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The Objectives
As a research centre, the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum is dedicated to biblical research under the historical, exegetical, theological, linguistic and environmental aspects. It is also dedicated to the study of biblical archaeology, especially to the discovery of the Holy Places of the New Testament and of the early Church in the Holy Land and Near East. Another field of research is the study of the literary sources of the Christian Sanctuaries.

As a teaching centre, the "Studium Biblicum Franciscanum" confers the academic degrees: Bachelor in Sacred Theology, Licence and Doctorate in Biblical Sciences and Archaeology. It also confers the Higher Diploma of Biblical-Oriental Sciences and a Diploma in Biblical Formation.

The most significant Archaeological Excavations
A specialisation of the "Studium Biblicum Franciscanum" has been, from the beginning, the archaeological excavations that have provided a greater knowledge of the Gospel places. Among the excavations, begun in the XIX century and continuing still today, that are worth pointing out because of their importance are the following:

Mount Nebo-Siyagha, Memorial of the Prophet Moses, excavated by S. Saller, ofm, V. Corbo, ofm and M. Piccirillo, ofm. The excavations began in 1933 and continue up to the present.

The City of Nebo-Khirbet el Mukhayyat, excavated by S. Saller, ofm, B. Bagatti, ofm and M. Piccirillo, ofm.

Bethany: excavated by S. Saller, ofm during the years 1949-1953.

Nazareth: excavated between 1909 and 1970 and carried out by V. Viaud and B. Bagatti.

Dominus Flevit: excavated by P. Viaud, ofm and B. Bagatti, ofm during different campaigns between 1909 and 1970.

The Fortress of Herod: excavated by V. Corbo, ofm, between the years 1962 and 1967.

Capernaum: excavations were carried out during different campaigns from 1921 to 1982 by G. Orfali, ofm, V.Corbo, ofm and S. Loffreda, ofm. The latter continues the excavations at the present moment.

The Fortress of Machaerus: excavated by V. Corbo, ofm, S. Loffreda, ofm and M. Piccirillo, ofm between the years 1978 and 1982. The latter continues the excavations at the present time.

The Holy Sepulchre: excavations made by V. Corbo, ofm from 1961 to 1982.

Gethsemane: excavations carried out by G. Orfali in the years 1919 and 1920.

Sephoris: excavations carried out by P. Viaud, ofm in 1908.

Tabgha-Beatitudes: excavations carried out by B. Bagatti, ofm in 1935.

Ain Karim: excavations carried out by B. Bagatti, ofm in 1937.

Emmaus-Qubeibeh: excavations carried out by B. Bagatti, ofm from 1940 to 1944.

Bethlehem: excavations carried out by B. Bagatti, ofm in 1948-1980.

Monasteries of the Judean desert: excavations carried out by V. Corbo, ofm in 1951-1952.

Ascension: excavations made by V. Corbo, ofm in 1959.

Tabgha-Primado: excavations carried out by S. Loffreda in 1968.

Cana: excavations carried out by S. Loffreda, ofm in 1960 and by E. Alliata, ofm, in 1999.

Magdala: excavations carried out by S. Loffreda, ofm and V. Corbo, ofm from 1971 to 1977.

The Sepulchre of the Virgin: excavated by B. Bagatti, ofm in 1972.

The Churches and Mosaics of Jordan: excavations by M. Piccirillo, ofm.

Rectors
From its origins to the present day the "Studium Biblicum Franciscanum" has been directed by the following Friars Minor:

Br. Gaudenzio Orfali (1923-1926); Br. Mauro Witzel (1928-1929); León Villuendas (1930-1931); Paulino Lemaire (1932-1939); Donato Baldi (from after the world war until 1963); Elpidio Pax (1963-1969); Bellarmino Bagatti (1969-1978); Stanislao Loffreda (1978-1990); Alviero Niccacci (1990-1996); Frèdèric Manns (1996 to the present day).

Publications
The scientific publications of the "Studium Biblicum Franciscanum", under the care of the Franciscan Printing Press, are brought together in the following collections:
Collectio Maior, begun in 1941 and comprised at present of some 25 titles and more than 36 volumes;

Collectio Minor, begun in 1946, and comprised at present of some 33 volumes;

Liber Annus, official publication of the Studium that has come out punctually every year since 1950, is comprised at present of some 41 volumes;

Analecta, begun in 1962, comprised at the moment of some 33 volumes;

Museum, begun in 1976 and comprised of some 9 volumes already.

Many of the professors of the Studium habitually collaborate in the magazine "The Holy Land", which is published in 7 languages.