Instruction pastorale de Monseigneur l'Evêque de Barcelone, en date du 26 mars 1769.

[Climent i Avinent (Josep)]

Instruction pastorale de Monseigneur l'Evêque de Barcelone, en date du 26 mars 1769.

Description: pp. 57 plus final blank leaf, 12mo,[with:] Lettre de... Don Joseph Climent, évêque... de Barcelone, &c. Aux présidens des conférences, et étudiants, des écoles de théologie morale de cette ville. Barcelona: Thomas Piferrer, 1769, first gathering lightly browned, last (blank) leaf slightly soiled on verso, pp. 30 plus final blank leaf, the two entirely uncut, stitched together, very good

Publication Details: Barcelona: Thomas Piferrer, 1769

Notes: A remarkable survival, and two very rare pieces. In this pastoral letter Climent, Bishop of Barcelona, attacks the luxury and corruption of the Catholic church - thereby incurring the wrath of both Carlos III and Clemente IV - and argues for a return to the simplicity of the early church, as set out by l'abbé Fleury in his Moeurs des Israëlites et des Chrétiens. A special council was called to examine the work, but Climent was exonerated on the charge of sedition. Climent had been in correspondence with the Jansenist Clement of Auxerre, who wanted to publish the work in French. It seems lik...moreA remarkable survival, and two very rare pieces. In this pastoral letter Climent, Bishop of Barcelona, attacks the luxury and corruption of the Catholic church - thereby incurring the wrath of both Carlos III and Clemente IV - and argues for a return to the simplicity of the early church, as set out by l'abbé Fleury in his Moeurs des Israëlites et des Chrétiens. A special council was called to examine the work, but Climent was exonerated on the charge of sedition. Climent had been in correspondence with the Jansenist Clement of Auxerre, who wanted to publish the work in French. It seems likely that it was printed for him in France, and hence 'Se vend à Barcelone' on the title. The two locations in WorldCat are also suggestive of this.The second Letter is on the choice of books to be studied in Theology. The works of l'abbé Fleury are firm favourites, and in fact Climent had them translated into Spanish and published in Barcelona. HIDE

Bibliography: (1. Not in Palau, BNE or Rebuin; WorldCat records 2 locations, Utrecht and Paris, Sainte Geneviève. 2. Cf. Palau 55681; same WorldCat locations)