The Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri is a pontifical society of apostolic life of Catholic priests and lay-brothers who live together in a community bound together by no formal vows but only with the bond of charity. They are commonly referred to as Oratorians .
This "Congregation of the Oratory" should not be confused with the French Oratory, a distinct congregation, the Society of the Oratory of Jesus , founded by Pierre de Bérulle in 1611 in Paris.
Founded in Rome in 1575 by St. Philip Neri, today it has spread around the world, with over 70 Oratories and some 500 priests. The post-nominal initials commonly used to identify members of the society are "C.O." . The abbreviation "Cong. Orat." is also used.
Unlike a religious institute or a monastery , the Oratorians are made up of members who commit themselves to membership in a particular, independent, self-governing local community without actually taking vows, an unusual and innovative arrangement created by St. Philip. Normally an oratory must have a minimum of four members, two being ordained, in order to be founded. If a group of men seeks to establish an oratory, they may apply to do so, going through the proper diocesan channels; during the process of formation a member of a well-established oratory resides in the community to facilitate every aspect of the proposed foundation.
The Policlinico of Milan also known as Ospedale Maggiore di Milano or Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, is one of the oldest hospitals in Italy, founded by Duke Francesco Sforza in 1456. Today it is a modern hospital with 900 beds, with wards for adults, pregnant women and children. There are three different emergency rooms for different categories of patients. The maternity ward has the highest number of births in Lombardy.
The Foundation is a scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care , which means that, alongside clinical activity, it promotes research programs with predominantly translational purposes. The programs are concerned with the rapid transfer of therapies from the laboratory to patients.
The Centre de musique romantique française is a French-administered cultural institution, research centre and concert hall, in Venice, in north-eastern Italy. It is housed in the Palazzetto Bru Zane, an annex to the Palazzo Zane Collalto, on the Rio Marin in the sestiere of San Polo. The centre opened in October 2009. It is funded by the Fondation Bru, which also bought, restored and renamed the Casino Zane. The centre uses the name Palazzetto Bru Zane - Centre de musique romantique française.
Palazzo Antinori is a Renaissance palace located at the north end of Via de' Tornabuoni, where it makes an odd corner with Via dei Pecori, Via del Trebbio, and converts into Via dei Rondinelli, in Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy.
The Palazzo Arcivescovile or Archbishop's Palace of Siena is the official residence of the archbishop and the offices of the Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino. The neo-Gothic architecture building is located adjacent to the Cathedral of Siena.
Palazzo Braschi [paˈlat.tso ˈbras.ki] is a large Neoclassical palace in Rome, Italy and is located between the Piazza Navona, the Campo de' Fiori, the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and the Piazza di Pasquino. It presently houses the Museo di Roma, the "museum of Rome", covering the history of the city in the period from the Middle Ages through the nineteenth century.
