NORIS, HENRY

Theologian and historian; b. Verona, Italy, Aug. 29, 1631; d. Rome, Feb. 23?, 1704. Noris was the son of Alessandro Noris and Caterina Manzoni. After joining the Augustinians at Rimini (1646), he served as regent of studies at Pesaro, Perugia, Florence, and Padua. He then became tutor to the son of the grand duke of Tuscany and professor of ecclesiastical history in Pisa (1674–92). Brought to Rome by Innocent XII, he was named custodian of the Vatican Library (1692), consultor to the Holy Office (1694), and cardinal (1695).

One of the leading savants of the 17th century, Noris was the primary figure in the later school of Augustinian theology (see augustinianism, theological school of). He became involved in many controversies, especially by reason of two of his writings, Historia pelagiana and Vindiciae augustinianae (both published in Padua in 1673) that contained his interpretation of the soteriology of St. Augustine, a doctrine that he claimed was wrongly understood by both the Jansenists and their adversaries. Noris was repeatedly accused of Baianism (see baius and baianism) and jansenism, but he was cleared of these charges both during his lifetime and after his death (brief of Benedict XIV, July 31, 1748). Of his numerous works (about 19 in print, 14 in MS, and many letters), the best edition is the Opera omnia edited by P. and G. Ballerini (v. 1–4 Verona 1729–32; v. 5 Mantua 1741).

Bibliography: f. rojo, "Ensayo bibliográfico de Noris, Bellelli y Berti," Analecta Augustiniana 26 (1963) 294–363. g. bruzzoni, "Nove lettere inedite di fra Enrico Noris," Analecta Augustiniana 62 (1999) 179–211.

[a. j. ennis]