TRENT, Council of

TRENT, Council of, in Ecclesiastical History, denotes the council assembled by Paul III. in 1545, and continued by twenty-five sessions till the year 1563, under Julius III. and Pius IV. in order to correct, illustrate, and fix with perspicuity, the doctrine of the church, to restore the vigour of its discipline, and to reform the lives of its ministers. The decrees of this council, together with the decrees of Pope Pius IV. contains a summary of the doctrines of the Roman Catholics. These decrees were subscribed by 25 clergy, consisting of four legates, other two cardinals, three patriarchs, twenty-five archbishops, 168 bishops, besides inferior clergy. As 150 of these came from Italy, the council was entirely under the influence of the pope. For a more

particular account of the council of Trent, see the elaborate stories of Sarpi and Pallavicini. The former of these is very remarkable work. For the history of this council, great mass of materials was collected by Le Plat: "Mementorum ad Historiam Concilii Tridentini potissimum illustrandam spectantium amplissima Collectio." Lovanii, 781-7, 7 tom. 4to.