LIRER PONTIFICA'LIS, part of the title of a history of the bishops of Rome pro fessing to begin with the apostle Peter and extending to Nicolas I. A.D.), with au addition subsequently made of the times of Adrian II. and Stephen VI. (891). Anasta sins, librarian of the church under Nicolas 1. and abbot of a convent in Rome, was for merly supposed by many to be the author of the book; but later investigations have shown almost certainly that it existed before his time. The oldest materials now known that were used in the compilation of it were furnished by a list of the pones clown to Liberius, which was probably written before his death (366). The original MS. has been lost, but several copies of it, taken in the 17th c. from other copies. am extant. Another list of the popes comes down to Felix IV. (530). Parts of it are almost literal copies from the former, but many additional particulars are given, drawn from various sources and having different degrees of historical value. Both lists were afterwards continued and ultinfately formed the Libel. Pontificalis. the oldest known copy of which belongs to
the end of the 7th or the beginning of the 8th century. A first continuation of it extends to Gregory IL, who became pope in 714. and a second ends with Stephen III., 757. After this time several other continuations were made, the latest of which terminates, as has been mentioned, with Stephen VI.. 891. Besides the sources already spoken of, materials for the history were furnished by traditions, written documents, buildings. inscriptions, and other monuments. Additions to the book have been made: 1. By three histories of the popes, the authors of which are not known. (1) from Lando, 912, to Gregory VII., and belonging to the 11th c. ; (2) extending down to the Sallie date, and written during Gregory's life; (3) front Paschal II., in the earlypart of the 12th century. 2. By a his tory written in the 13th c., extending from Gregory VII. to Honorius II. 1150. 3. By histories originating at the close of the 12th century.