Edward Ambrose Burgis facts for kids

Edward Ambrose Burgis was an English historian and a religious leader. He was part of a group called the Dominicans.

His Early Life and Studies

Edward Ambrose Burgis was born in England around 1673. His father was a minister in the Church of England. When Edward was a young man, he decided to become a Catholic.

He joined the Dominican Order in Rome. This is a special group of Catholic priests and brothers. He spent time learning and training there. This training period is called a novitiate.

After his training in 1696, he went to Naples, Italy. He studied at the Dominican school of St. Thomas. He was very smart and learned quickly.

Teaching and Leadership

After finishing his studies, Edward Burgis moved to Louvain, a city in what is now Belgium. He taught at the College of St. Thomas for almost 30 years. This college was for English Dominicans.

He taught many subjects, including history and religion. He was the head of the college, called the rector, two times. First from 1715 to 1720, and again from 1724 to 1730.

Later, he took on more important roles in the Dominican Order. In 1730, he became a provincial superior. This meant he was in charge of all the Dominicans in a certain area.

In 1741, he became the Prior of the English Dominican group in Bornhem. Then, in 1746, he was made Vicar General for the English Dominicans in Belgium. This was another important leadership position.

Edward Ambrose Burgis passed away in Brussels, Belgium, on April 27, 1747.

His Writings

Edward Ambrose Burgis was a talented writer, especially in English. He wrote in a clear and pleasant style. He was also very careful to make sure his facts were correct.

In 1712, he published a book in London called "The Annals of the Church." This first book covered the history of the church from the year 34 to 300.

He had planned to write nine volumes to cover history up to his own time. But he changed his mind. Instead, he rewrote the first part and published a bigger work.

This new work was called "The Annals of the Church from the Death of Christ." It came out in five volumes in 1738. This was the first book of its kind written in English by either a Catholic or a Protestant.

He also helped finish another book. It was called "An Introduction to the Catholic Faith." Even though his name wasn't on it, he played a big part in completing it.