Pontifical Academy

A Pontifical Academy is an academic honorary society established by or under the direction of the Holy See. Some were in existence well before they were accepted as "Pontifical." Currently there are ten academies in Rome:
# Pontifical "Insigne Accademia di Belle Arti e Lettere dei Virtuosi al Pantheon" (accurate translation please) - founded in 1542 to study, cultivate, and perfect the fine arts.
# Pontifical Academy of Science - founded in 1603 to honor and promote research.
# Pontifical Academy of Theology - given papal approbation in 1718 and re-founded in 1956, it promotes the authentic Catholic faith.
# The Academy of Archeology - founded in 1810 and promotes Christian archeology and the history of Christian art.
# Pontifical Academy of Martyrs - founded in 1879 and promotes the veneration of the martyrs and the study of the catacombs.
# Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas - founded in 1879 and promotes the study of Thomism.
# Pontifical Academy of the Immaculate Conception - founded in 1879 and promotes and coordinates studies of Marian dogma.
# Pontifical Academy of Mary - founded in 1946 and promotes Mariology.
# Pontifical Academy for Life - founded in 1994 and seeks to promote and defend life; headed formerly by Bishop Elio Sgreccia, and now by Archbishop Salvatore Fisichelli, former rector of the Pontifical Lateran University.
# Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences - founded in 1994 and promotes social, economic, political, and legal sciences in the light of the church's social teachings

Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy is not one of the Pontifical Academies, but is one of the Roman Colleges.

All of the above information was taken directly from The Dictionary of Popes and the Papacy, Crossroad Publishing Co. NY

External links

* [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/index.htm Pontifical Academies - Website of the Holy See]