Aloysius Lilius (c. 1510 – 1576), also
Luigi Lilio or
Luigi Giglio (or
Aluise Lilio or
Aloisius Lilius),
[1] was an
Italian doctor,
astronomer,
[1] philosopher and
chronologist who devised the
Gregorian Calendar.
Very little is known about the early life of Lilius/Lilio/Giglio. It is known that he came from Calabria (Italy), either from Cirò or Zirò. He studied medicine in Naples, after which he served Earl Carafa. He lectured in medicine at the University of Perugia from 1552.
He is primarily known as the creator of the Gregorian Calendar, after writing a manuscript titled Compendiuem novae rationis restituendi kalendarium (Compendium of the New Plan for the Restitution of the Calendar). However, the reform to the calendar did not occur until six years after his death, when his brother Antonio presented the manuscript to Pope Gregory XIII. The manuscript was then given to the reform commission, and was adopted in 1582, after some modification by Christopher Clavius. The papal bull was issued on February 24, 1582 ordering Christians to adopt the new calendar.[1]
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