Gregorio de Santiago Vela (1865-1924), insigne biógrafo, bibliógrafo e historiador, en el primer centenario de su muerte

Abstract

On the occasion of the first centenary of the death of the illustrious bibliographer Gregorio de Santiago Vela (1865-1924), the author of this study exposes the predominant notes of his life, birth, studies,Augustinian and ecclesiastical training, missionary activity in the Philippines and cultural work carried out with such enthusiasm and method that have made him one of the great bibliographers  of the Order of Saint Augustine and Spain, although his knowledge and study is still limited. In addition to being editor and first  director of the magazine Archivo Agustiniano, then bimonthly and titled Archivo Hispano-Agustiniano (1914-1924), with 128 pages each issue, where most of his numerous and meritorious works on Augustinian history, he is the author of the Essay of an Ibero-American Library of the Order of Saint Augustine (Madrid 1913-1931), projected in 8 volumes, although the fourth remained  unpublished. The Essay, a bio-biblio-graphic work of great breadth, solidity and perfection, is positioned far above those made until then with similar characteristics. It not only abounds with new data, both about lives and printed and unpublished works, but it offers with rigor, method and criteria innumerable milestones and historical, social, religious and cultural events, as well as the physical description of a few thousand books. and its contents, editions, translations, etc. On a critical level he stands out for his luminous, profound and accurate judgments, an unequivocal sign of intense study, erudition and bibliographical work.