HI, Erudita,
Sorry I can't speak for northern Italy, but in Militello in Val di Catania and the surrounding Sicilian cities there were few death records until after 1620. Militello began recording deaths in 1589, but they remained one-liners until April 1632 when they began to be recorded with age, parents, etc.
City (not parish) death records began earlier, but due to time and attrition, are rare.
Ray
abbreviations in 1590 death notice
Re: abbreviations in 1590 death notice
Thanks for clarifying, Ray. I still plan to do some research about this, when I get the chance.
Erudita
Erudita
Re: abbreviations in 1590 death notice
Ray
I have been trying to do more research about the Rituale Romanum which was issued in 1614 by Pope Paul V. My understanding now of this over 400 page document is that it was NOT intended to be mandatory, but rather was a procedural manual which could be used by deacons, priests, bishops, etc, with respect to performing the various rites in the church, such as baptism, marriage, administering to the sick and dying, and included such things as prayers and blessings to be used when those rites were being performed. There are even instructions concerning how exorcisms were to be performed, etc. I read that the end section, or somewhere in the last part of the book, there is something about the format of the parish death registers, but I haven't been able to find an English translation of this section of the book, which I know is written in Latin. I see that Guido Alfani, whom you mentioned and cited, is a Professor in Milan, and I found an article with the quote you gave me concerning the death registers. Although he refers to the Roman Ritual in that article, in his footnote, he does not give the page in the Roman Ritual from which that information is taken. All I see is a footnote reference to another one of his articles, which he co-authored. I'm sure he is probably well versed in the Latin language, so I'm a bit disturbed that he doesn't give specific info about the primary source, either in a footnote, or in his bibliography at the end of his article. Anyway, if you or anyone else can direct me to an English translation of the section of 1614 Roman Ritual which discusses the format of parish registers death registers, I would be most appreciative to have the link.
Thanks.
Erudita
I have been trying to do more research about the Rituale Romanum which was issued in 1614 by Pope Paul V. My understanding now of this over 400 page document is that it was NOT intended to be mandatory, but rather was a procedural manual which could be used by deacons, priests, bishops, etc, with respect to performing the various rites in the church, such as baptism, marriage, administering to the sick and dying, and included such things as prayers and blessings to be used when those rites were being performed. There are even instructions concerning how exorcisms were to be performed, etc. I read that the end section, or somewhere in the last part of the book, there is something about the format of the parish death registers, but I haven't been able to find an English translation of this section of the book, which I know is written in Latin. I see that Guido Alfani, whom you mentioned and cited, is a Professor in Milan, and I found an article with the quote you gave me concerning the death registers. Although he refers to the Roman Ritual in that article, in his footnote, he does not give the page in the Roman Ritual from which that information is taken. All I see is a footnote reference to another one of his articles, which he co-authored. I'm sure he is probably well versed in the Latin language, so I'm a bit disturbed that he doesn't give specific info about the primary source, either in a footnote, or in his bibliography at the end of his article. Anyway, if you or anyone else can direct me to an English translation of the section of 1614 Roman Ritual which discusses the format of parish registers death registers, I would be most appreciative to have the link.
Thanks.
Erudita