Oliger, Livarius

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OLIGER, LIVARIUS

Franciscan historian; b. Schorbach (Diocese of Metz), France (Germany), Feb. 17, 1875; d. Rome, Jan. 29, 1951. He entered the franciscan order in 1892, was ordained in 1900, and from 1906 to 1950 held the chair of Franciscan history at the Antonianum in Rome. From 1911 to 1915 he also served as associate editor of the Archivum Franciscanum historicum at Quaracchi (near Florence) and during World War I (191518) returned to Germany, where he taught at St. Anna in Munich. Oliger held the post of professor of hagiography (from 1931) and historical method (from 1941) at the University of the Lateran and was cofounder of the Franciscan journal Antonianum (Rome 1926). His writingsincluding critical editions and commentaries; pioneer work on the franciscan spirituals, fraticelli, and Brethren of the Free Spirit; mission history; biography; and hagiographical studieswere crowned by his Expositio quattuor magistrorum super regulam fratrum minorum, 12411242 (Rome 1950).

Bibliography: Miscellanea historica p. L. Oliger oblata Antonianum 20 (Rome 1945) with bibliog. l. spÄtling, Franziskanische Studien 32 (1950) 362381, with bibliog. since 1945. Antonianum 26 (1951) 210214.

[o. j. blum]