Born in Saint-Thierry (France) on October 7, 1872.
Died in Rome on February 4, 1935.
Benedictine monk of Maredsous in Belgium, where he professed in 1895, two years later he moved to the abbey of Solesmes in France, and was ordained a priest in 1902. After carrying out important studies on the conciliar collections and on hagiographic matters, he was called to Rome in 1907 to collaborate with the Commission for the revision of the Vulgate. In 1934 he was appointed first abbot of the pontifical monastery of S. Gerolamo in Urbe. An acute and profound critic, especially in the study of manuscripts, he was also a member of the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archeology and general relator of the historical section of the Congregation of Rites.
The illustrious Benedictine was at home in the * Don Guanella shelter in via Aurelia Antica: he had assisted in the laying of the first stone with all his monks, affable and smiling, he had visited on Christmas Eve and when he met one of the guests, who called the neighbors, greeted them with ardor: «Long live Don Guanella!». He was remembered by Don Guanella's poor as "a humble and affable ascetic, scholar and saint".
Sources:
“Catholic Pontifical Directory”, 1936, p. 935.
PIETRO SALMON, ad vocem, in the Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. X, Vatican City, Organization for the Catholic Encyclopedia and for the Catholic Book, 1953, cc. 391-392.
T. DE MOREMBERT, ad vocem, in Catholicisme hier, aujourd'hui, demain, vol. XII, Paris, Letouzey et Ané, 1990, cc. 357-358.
Guanellian sources:
Funebria, in «The voice of the poor by Don Guanella», January-February 1935, p. 16.
Photographs:
Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. X, c. 391.