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Jesuits
Historical Archives
Jesuits - Euro-Mediterranean Province

About us

The Historical Archives of the Jesuit Euro-Mediterranean Province preserve, protect and enhance the archival heritage of the Province. Our documentation consists mainly of the holdings of six former Provinces, journals, residences and colleges in Italy from 1814 onward.

History of our holdings

Our Archives are located in the Gesù complex, seat of the Curia first of the Roman Province, then of the Province of Italy and now of the Euro-Mediterranean Province. Thus, the main documentary core consists of the holdings of the Roman and subsequent Provinces.

The deposit of the archival holdings of the other former Provinces unified in 1978 in the Province of Italy – Veneto-Milanese, Turinese, Roman, Napoean, Sicilian – is still in progress: some fonds are awaiting reordering, others are still at the offices of the former Provincial Curia of reference awaiting deposit.

Read more about our holdings

Periodization

Our Archives mainly hold documentation after 1814, when the Society of Jesus was reconstituted following the suppression. The majority of our inventories is available online.

For research regarding the Old Society (1540-1773) and the period of suppression (1773-1814) please contact the Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu (ARSI).

Visit the ARSI website

Facilities and reception

The Archives premises were fully renovated in 2019 and are accessible to people with disabilities. In the reading room researches will find:

  • 3 stations with Internet access,
  • inventories
  • catalogs,
  • journals and publications.

Archival records are kept in storage rooms accessible only to staff.

Our Archives in numbers
6 Province Holdings
900 linear metres of documentation
10.000 personal files of Jesuits
Curiosities

Featured documents

Relics of saints and venerables, distinguished alumni of our colleges, evidence of customs and traditions in other historical periods: here is a selection of interesting documents from our Archives.

Notes, letters and identity document of Fernando Bortone, Jesuit missionary in China in the early 20th century - Documents preserved in the Historical Archives of the Jesuit Euro-Mediterranean Province in Rome
Projects and collaborations

Living Archives

In recent years, documents from our Archives have been used and enhances in several cultural, editorial and TV projects.