Italian Marriage Banns

Religious Records are covered by several courses at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. (See this blog post about our Religious Records courses.) One specific type of records to explore are Marriage Banns. You may think they were only used in the past, but they are still in use in today, although not as common. As we continue to look at the Italian: Catholic Church Records-Part 2 course, we find that Marriage Banns are covered in Module 2. Marriage Banns were an attempt to curb clandestine or forced marriages. Canonical law stated the marriage banns, announcing an upcoming marriage, must be read from the pulpit on three consecutive holy days (Sunday mass or feast days) and, also posted on the door of the parish. If the bride and groom were not from the same parish, banns would be posted and announced in both parishes. It was the priest’s responsibility to determine a couple’s residence in a certain place or quasi-residence (residing there part of the year, more than six months) so that the priest knew where the banns should be posted and read. He was required to keep a written record of the banns, as well as any requests for publication that he makes to other parishes. The banns allowed parish members to bring forth any objections or impediments, either of affinity or consanguinity. A priest could not refuse the posting of the banns unless there was a reason, as defined by canon law. If no objections were found, the couple would then be…

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Marriage in the Roman Catholic Church

Religious Records cover a wide variety of documents. The National Institute for Genealogical Studies offers several courses covering this topic. (See this blog post about our Religious Records courses.) It is important to become familiar with the religious records relevant to the region and specific time period where you are researching. Records for the same denomination could be different depending on location and the local laws and regulations, even within the same country. As we continue to look at the Italian: Catholic Church Records-Part 2 course, we find that Marriage in the Roman Catholic Church is covered in Module 2. Here is a portion of what will be discussed. A 1564 decree made marriage in the Roman Catholic Church a sacrament. This was reinforced by Papal proclamation in 1595. The requirements for marriage, as dictated by the Council of Trent, were: Marriage was a sacrament and Church business Couples had to have parental consent, appear with parents/guardians Couples could not be forced into marriage, must have free choice Marriage must be performed in front of two witness Additionally, within parish marriage records, you will sometimes find registers for the Stato Libero (statement of free status) or Sponsati Contratti (marriage engagements/contracts). These records were for marriage engagements/contracts to be performed elsewhere, and for stating that the bride or groom was free to marry. The following is an example of this type of document. Statement of Free Status – Francesco d’Averzo & nine-year-old Michela Pizzolato, Catania, Italy Note: Italy has laws concerning privacy…

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Keeping in Touch…

Do you have a question about your courses or your research? Communication is so important in genealogy in order to keep abreast of constantly evolving information. The same is true within The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. As a student of The National Institute, there are various ways you can communicate with us and your fellow students (see below). We want all of our students to enjoy their learning experience. Please do not worry or fret over your courses by yourself. We are here to help you! **** NOTE: Our social media accounts are NOT monitored regularly. If you need an answer quickly, please pick up the phone. We can be reached at 1-800-580-0165, ext. #1 (North America) or 416-861-0165. Please leave a message if no one answers. We will call back. #1 By email to The National Institute  **** NOTE: When contacting us please INCLUDE your FIRST & LAST NAME and the full COURSE TITLE including the COUNTRY, if a records course. It is also helpful if you include the module number and section title you are referring to. **** i) admin@genealogicalstudies.com –  for general questions; ii) alert@genealogicalstudies.com – to advise us of broken links in your course materials and assignments–Please GIVE SPECIFIC DETAILS; i.e., provide the COURSE NAME, MODULE NUMBER, WEBSITE NAME, and URL. iii) exam@genealogicalstudies.com – questions pertaining to your course exam. #2 By email to a fellow student  When you view a fellow student’s public assignment SUBMISSION/ANSWER, and you would like to contact them about something in their posting, simply click on…

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Register for New Courses

The National Institute for Genealogical Studies offers online genealogical education for family history enthusiasts, genealogists and historians. These courses are rated in Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced levels. You can register for courses individually, or save by choosing from a variety of available packages. See Full List of Packages here. The Start Dates for courses are scheduled for the first Monday of the month, however, not all courses are available monthly. Be sure to check our Current Course Calendar for when the course of your choice is scheduled to be open again. Many courses will begin on Monday, April 5th. If you are ready to start, Register TODAY! Do you need more time? Browse through the Course Calendar to see which courses will begin on Monday, May 3rd. Remember, you can save by bundling courses together and registering for a Package. Start with a simple 4 Course Package; or Register for different package, such as our DNA 4-course Package or DNA 8-course Package; or Register for our Business Skills Package; or take the plunge and Register for one of our 12 Certificate Programs in the theme of your choice. Full List of Packages   Complete List of Courses   Current Course Calendar   —————————————————- Visit our website for a complete list of online courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Check our Course Calendar here. Follow us on Social Media: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. *Note: Please be aware our social media accounts are monitored regularly, but NOT 24/7. If you have any questions, please contact the office directly. Contact information: 1…

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Working with Italian State of the Souls Records

Our Religious Records courses at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies are compulsory for every country-specific certificate program. They provide unique insight into our ancestors lives and produce valuable clues for continuing our research, especially when the next generation can be seen through the recording of parent’s names or extended family members. In our previous post for Italian Catholic Church records, we saw just how valuable these records are. See blog post here. As we continue to explore the State of the Souls Records in the course Italian: Catholic Church Records-Part 2, we have the opportunity to make significant discoveries using these church records. Working with the Documents – Balduzzi & Petrogalli 1768 State of the Souls Record – Family of Antonio Balduzzi & Maria Francesca Petrogalli Clusone, Bergamo Province, Italy, “Status Animarum, Parrochie Cluxonis [Parish Census for the Parishes of Clusone] 1768”, record kept progressively, page 104 State of the Souls record, family of Antonio Balduzzi “Cumini Caretti”; Basilicata di Santa Maria Assunta, Via Brasi, no. 11, 24023 Clusone, Italy. Translation – 1768 State of the Souls Record – Family of Antonio Balduzzi & Maria Francesca Petrogalli Clusone, Bergamo Province, Italy, “Status Animarum, Parrochie Cluxonis [Parish Census for the Parishes of Clusone] 1768”, record kept progressively, page 104 State of the Souls record, family of Antonio Balduzzi “Cumini Caretti”; Basilicata di Santa Maria Assunta, Via Brasi, no. 11, 24023 Clusone, Italy. Cumini was this family’s nickname. When a child’s age is left blank on a parish censusrecord, it usually means they were…

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