Per un sistema educativo globale: le scuole e i consueta ministeria della Compagnia di Gesù nella Verona di Agostino Valier

During the post-Tridentine period, after overcoming the emergencies caused by the collapse of religious unity, the bishops and the religious orders very often worked in close harmony to implement a synergistic and widespread pastoral activity, which made it possible to lay the foundations for the “Europe of the Devout” to which Châtellier referred. Agostino Valier’s episcopacy (1565-1606) and the active collaboration he established with the religious orders of the diocese of Verona represent a significant area of research for highlighting the methods and forms of this positive interaction for the “Christianization” of society. This article addresses these convergences, with a particular focus on the foundation and early years of the Jesuits College of Verona (1578-1606). The author provides a detailed analysis of archival sources, for the most part unpublished, supported by the accredited scientific literature, to highlight the key aspects of the multifaceted Jesuit education (which went well beyond the College’s lessons) and its numerous points of contact with Agostino Valier’s equally versatile religious renewal programme.