Nicola Giacomo Mittarelli

(In religion GIAN BENEDETTO)

A monastic historian, born 2 September, 1707, at Venice ; died 4 August, 1777, in the monastery of San Michele di Murano near Venice. After joining the Camaldolese Order at the early age of fourteen, he studied theology at Florence and Rome, whereupon he taught philosophy and theology at the monastery of San Michele di Murano. Because he relinquished the scholastic method, his superiors sent him to the monastery of San Parisio in Treviso where he became confessor and archivist. In 1760 he was elected Abbot of San Michele di Murano and in 1765, General of his Order for the space of five years during which he resided in Rome ; in 1770 he returned to his monastery where he remained as abbot until his death. His monumental work, in the preparation of which he was assisted by his confrères Costadini and Calogera, is the "Annales Camaldulenses ordinis S. Benedicti, ab anno 907 ad annum 1770" 9 vols. folio (Venice, 1755-73). It follows the plan of Mabillon's "Annales ordinis S. Benedicti". His other works are: "Memorie della vita di San Parisio, e del monastero dei Santi Christina e Parisio di Treviso" (Venice, 1748), "Memorie del monastero della Santa Trinità di Fænza" (Fænza, 1749), "Ad Scriptores rerum Italicarum A. Muratorii accessiones historiæ Faventinæ" (Venice, 1771), "De litteratura Faventinorum" (Venice, 1775), and the posthumous work "Bibliotheca codicum Mss. monasterii St. Michælis de Murano cum appendice librorum 15, sæculi" (Venice, 1779).