Giorgi, Antonio Augustino

Giorgi, Antonio Augustino an Italian philologist, was born in 1711 at Santo Mauro, near Rimini. He entered the order of St. Augustine in 1727, and became procurator-general of his order, which position he occupied for eighteen years. He destroyed the old scholastic routines which controlled the schools directed by the Augustinians. His zeal for the maintenance of a pure faith led him to take part in various theological discussions, and near the close of his life he sustained a lively controversy against P. Paulin, of St. Bartholomew, concerning the religion of the Brahmins. He taught theology in various places, especially at the grand college of Rome, whither he was called by pope Benedict XIV. This pontiff charged him with making the apology for tie History of Pelagianism of cardinal Noris. Being satisfied with the manner in which this was executed, he confided to the author the direction of the Angelican library, and admitted him to the number of learned men whom he consulted upon ecclesiastical affairs. Giorgi had studied eleven languages, among which we may mention Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, Samaritan, and Syriac. But his erudition was more varied than profound.

He died at Rome, May 4, 1797. He wrote a number of works, for which see Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.