Modern history: 1577 Collegium Divi Thomae Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas

g. b. embriaco s hydrochronometer in villa borghese gardens, patterned after original of 1867 in courtyard of college of saint thomas

gian battista embriaco (ceriana 1829 – rome 1903) taught @ college. embriaco inventor in 1867 of hydrochronometer, examples of built in rome, first in college s courtyard @ minerva, , later on pincian hill , in villa borghese gardens. embriaco had presented 2 prototypes of invention @ paris universal exposition in 1867 winning prizes , acclaim.

the suppression of religious orders hampered mission of college. during french occupation of rome 1797 1814 college in declined , briefly closed doors 1810 1815. order gained control of convent once again in 1815.

by late eighteenth century professors of college had begun follow wolffianism , eclecticism of austrian jesuit, sigismund von storchenau , jaime balmes aim of engaging modern thought. in response trend general chapter of 1838 again ordered revival of thomism , use of summa theologica @ college of st. thomas.

at minerva master of order issued directive re-establish plan of study had been in force before french revolution following manual of salvatore roselli (1777–83) , prescribing 5-year study of summa theologica degree candidates. minerva studium generale refurbished, , new era of thomism initiated led luminaries such tommaso maria zigliara.

after capture of rome, final act of risorgimento, dominicans expropriated italian government in virtue of law 1402 of 19 june 1873 , collegium divi thomae de urbe forced leave minerva. college continued work @ various locations in rome. rector zigliara, taught @ college 1870 1879, professors , students took refuge fathers of holy ghost @ french college in rome, lectures continued. in 1899 college functioning in palazzo sinibaldi, adjacent french college , near convent of minerva.

tommaso maria zigliara

zigliara member of 7 roman congregations, including congregation of studies , founding member of accademia romana di san tommaso in 1879. zigliara s fame scholar @ forefront of neo-thomist revival widespread in rome , abroad. french, italian, german, english, , american bishops eager put of promising students , young professors under tuition.

the mid-19th-century revival of thomism, called neo-scholasticism or neo-thomism, had origins in italy. direct initiator of neo-scholastic movement in italy gaetano sanseverino, (1811–1865), canon @ naples. other prominent figures include zigliara, josef kleutgen, , giovanni cornoldi. revival emphasizes interpretative tradition of aquinas great commentators such capréolus, cajetan, , john of st. thomas. focus, however, less exegetical , more concerned carrying out program of deploying rigorously worked out system of thomistic metaphysics in wholesale critique of modern philosophy. zigliara instrumental in recovering authentic tradition of thomism influence of tradition of jesuits colored interpretation of own great master francisco suárez (d. 1617), had attempted reconcile aristotelianism of thomas platonism of scotus

in response disarray of religious educational institutions pope leo xiii in encyclical aeterni patris of 4 august 1879 called renewal of christian philosophy , particularly doctrines of aquinas:

we exhort you, venerable brethren, in earnestness restore golden wisdom of st. thomas, , spread far , wide defense , beauty of catholic faith, of society, , advantage of sciences.

pope leo xiii s encyclical aeterni patris of 1879 great impetus revival of neo scholastic thomism. on october 15, 1879 leo created pontifical academy of st. thomas aquinas , ordered publication of critical edition of complete works of doctor angelicus. superintendence of leonine edition entrusted zigliara. leo founded angelicum s faculty of philosophy in 1882 , faculty of canon law in 1896. college began once again gain status , influence. under pope leo xiii zigliara contributed encyclicals aeterni patris , rerum novarum.