(3) 1. PETRA, Vincenzo (1662-1747)
Birth. November 19 (or 23), 1662, Naples (1). Nephew of Diego Petra, archbishop of Sorrento.
Education. Seminario Romano, Rome (philosophy and theology); University of Naples, Naples (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, December 18, 1682).
Priesthood. Ordained (no information found). Secretary of Msgr. Giovanni Muti Pappazurri, famous auditor of the Sacred Roman Rota, 1691. Papal prelate, 1693. Secretary of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council, 1706. Consultor of the Supreme S.C. of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. Voter and later, referendary of the Supreme Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace. Consultor of the Apostolic Penitentiary, April 1, 1711; confirmed in this post, January 21, 1713. Canon of the patriarchal Lateran basilica, 1712. Lieutenant of the auditor of the Chamber.
Episcopate. Titular archbishop of Damasco, October 5, 1712. Consecrated, October 9, 1712, Rome, by Cardinal Fabrizio Paolucci. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, December 8, 1712. Secretary of the S.C. of Bishops and Regulars. Datary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, 1722.
Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of November 20, 1724; received the red hat and the title of S. Onofrio, December 20, 1724. Prefect of the S.C. of Propaganda Fide, January 10, 1727 until his death. Abbot of S. Maria dei Banzi, Naples. Participated in the conclave of 1730, which elected Pope Clement XII. Appointed pro-penitentiary major by the Sacred College of Cardinals during the sede vacante, March 26, 1730; confirmed as penitentiary major by the new Pope Clement XII, after July 12, 1730; occupied the post until his death. Camerlengo of the S.C. of Cardinals, January 19, 1733. Opted for the title of S. Pietro in Vincoli, February 11, 1737. Participated in the conclave of 1740, which elected Pope Benedict XIV. Opted for the order of bishops and the suburbicarian see of Palestrina, September 16, 1740.
Death. March 21, 1747, at 10:30 a.m., Rome (1). Transferred to the church of S. Maria in Vallicella, Rome, March 22, 1747; the capella papalis took place the following day and later, at 9:30 p.m., taken to the church of Santo Spirito de' Napolitani and buried in front of the main altar, in the tomb he had built for himself.
Link. Brief biographical data, in Italian.
(1) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, V, 35 and 180, note 7; and Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VIII, 203. The site of the Comune of Poggio Sannita lists him among its illustrious ecclesiastics. The commune is located in the autonomous region of Molise, diocese and province of Isernia.
(2) Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VIII, 204, indicates that he died when he was 97 years old. If this is correct, he was born in 1650 and not in 1662 as Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, VI, 180, indicates.
| Top | Catalogs | Home |
©1998-2008 Salvador Miranda.