The Lives of the Saints Volume 1 - St. Patrick's Basilica

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to which only an historical assent is due, whence they have been
sometimes altered and amended. These are chiefly such as are judged
authentic and probable by the cardinals Baronius and Bellarmin, who
revised those lessons, in the last correction under Clement VIII.
Gavant, who was himself one of the revisers of the Breviary, and
secretary to the congregation, writes thus, (in Breviar. sect. 5, c. 12,
n. 15, p. 18:) 'The second lessons from the histories of the saints were
revised by Bellarmin and Baronius, who rejected what could be justly
called in question: in which difficult task they thought it best to
restore the truth of history with the least change possible, and to
retain those things which had a certain degree of probability, and had
the authority of some grave voucher, though the contrary sentiment had
perhaps more patrons.' In computing the years of the popes, the
chronology of Baronius was judged the most exact, and retained.
Historical facts, nowise revealed or contained in scripture, cannot be
made an object of divine faith. If edifying histories are inserted in
the church-office, they stand upon their own credit. Such only ought to
be chosen which are esteemed authentic. This rule has been always
followed when any were compiled. If the compilers are found afterwards
to have been mistaken, it is nowhere forbid to correct them.[1] This has
been often done by the order of several popes."
Footnotes:
1. Nimia profecto almplicitate peccant qui scandalizantur quoties
audiunt aliquid ex jam olim creditia et juxta breviarii prescriptum
hodiedum recitandis, in disputationem adduci.--_Diss. Ballandic{e}._
vol. 2, p. 140.
IX. 7. Among the _modern collections of the Lives of Saints_, of which
our authors availed himself, in the work we are speaking of, the
histories which different religious have written of their own orders,
hold a distinguished place. But he was indebted to no work so much as
the _Acta sanctorum of the Bollandists_. That noble collection was first
projected by Father Roswede of the society of Jesus. He died before he
had completely digested his plan. Fortunately for the lovers either of
sacred history or sacred literature, it mm taken up by father Bollandus
of the same society, and has been carried down to the eleventh day of
October inclusive. Those who, after Bollandus's decease, succeeded him
in his undertaking, were from him called Bollandists.
As far as the editor has been able to learn, the work was composed by
the following authors, and published in the number of volumes and years
following:
No. of Vols. Years of their
Months. all in folio. appearance. Authors.