, abbot of Corazzo, and afterwards of Flora in Calabria, distinguished
, abbot of Corazzo, and afterwards of Flora
in Calabria, distinguished for his pretended prophecies
and remarkable opinions, was born at Celico near Cosenza,
in 1130. He was of the Cistertian order, and had several
monasteries subject to his jurisdiction, which he directed
with the utmost wisdom and regularity. He was revered
by the multitude as a person divinely inspired, and even
equal to the most illustrious of the ancient prophets. Many
of his predictions were formerly circulated, and indeed are
still extant, having passed through several editions, and
received illustration from several commentators. He taught
erroneous notions respecting the holy Trinity, which
amounted fully to tritheism; but what is more extraordinary, he taught that the morality of the Gospel is imperfect, and that a better and more complete law is to be
given by the Holy Ghost, which is to be everlasting. These
reveries gave birth to a book attributed to Joachim, entitled < The Everlasting Gospel,“or
” The Gospel of the
Holy Ghost.“” It is not to be doubted,“says Mosheim,
” that Joachim was the author of various predictions, and
that he, in a particular manner, foretold the reformation of
the church, of which he might see the absolute necessity.
It is, however, certain, that the greater part of the predictions and writings which were formerly attributed to him,
were composed by others. This we may affirm even of
the “Everlasting Gospel,
” the work undoubtedly of some
obscure, silly, and visionary monk, who thought proper to
adorn his reveries with the celebrated name of Joachim, in
order to gain them credit, and render them more agreeable to the multitude. The title of this senseless production is taken from Rev. xiv. 6; and it contained three books.
The first was entitled “Liber concordiae veritatis,
” or the
book of the harmony of truth the second, “Apocalypsis
Nova,
” or new revelation and the third, “Psalterium decem Chordarum.
” This account was taken from a ms. of
that work in the library of the Sorbonne.“It is necessary,
we should observe, to distinguish this book from the
” Introduction to the Everlasting Gospel," written by a friar
named Gerhard, and published in 1250. Joachim died in
1202, leaving a number of followers, who were called
Joachimites. His works have been published in Venice,
1516, folio, &c. and contain propositions which have been
condemned by several councils. The part of his woi>ks
most esteemed is his commentaries on Isaiah, Jeremiah,
and the Apocalypse. His life was written by a Dominican
named Gervaise, and published in 1745, in 2 vols. 12mo.