The Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine, Fr. Alejandro Moral Anton, together with the Prior of the Augustinian Province of Italy and the Community of the Collegio Santa Monica in Rome, announced the death of our brother Fr. Nello Cipriani, professor emeritus of the Pontifical Patristic Institute "Augustinianum".
In a letter to the whole Order, Father General, together with his Council, remembered him "as a religious in love with Augustinian fraternal life, passionately devoted to the works and the Rule of St. Augustine". "He was a very appreciated teacher in the formation courses on Augustinian spirituality. We commend him to the mercy of the Father and to the prayers of suffrage of our brothers and faithful, invoking the peace and joy of the Lord".
A passionate promoter of the knowledge of Saint Augustine
A report by Tiziana Campisi for Vatican News
Shy, humble, reserved, kind, affable and highly esteemed. Fr. Nello invested his talents and his best human and spiritual resources in the field of theological and patristic research, above all investigating the thought and work of the bishop of Hippo in the academic field. His lectures at the Pontifical Augustinianum were attended by hundreds of students, and the classrooms in which he gave his courses were always full. Clear and simple in his expositions, he was able to make the figure of St. Augustine and his writings easily understood, fascinating those who listened to him.
Born in Maenza, in the province of Latina, on 29 July 1937, he experienced religious life as a child in the Augustinian monastery of his town and then continued his studies in Carpineto. He did his novitiate year in San Gimignano in 1953 and made his first religious profession in the Order of St. Augustine on 13 October 1954. He continued his baccalaureate studies in Viterbo and in 1957 he began his philosophy studies in Tolentino, where he made his solemn profession on 29 June 1959. He completed his theological studies in Spain, at the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, where he was ordained priest on 25 February 1962.
He then obtained a Licentiate in Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, a Licentiate in Ancient Literature at the University of Perugia and a Doctorate in Theology and Patristic Sciences at the Augustinianum. Fr. Nello offered his service to the Church and to the Order of St. Augustine through his personal witness of fraternal life, his commitment to teaching and patristic study, his availability to hold various offices, to form religious men and women in convents and monasteries, and to give retreat courses. His classical intellectual training also enabled him to teach Latin and Greek in Carpineto and Viterbo between 1962 and 1968.
Since 1988, he had been resident at St. Monica's College, continuing his fruitful collaboration with the Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum until 17 February last.
Continue reading the article of Campesi here
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