The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary

The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

Biographical Dictionary
Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846)
Consistory of July 22, 1844 (XXIII)

(68) 1. CARAFA DELLA SPINA DI TRAETTO, Domenico (1805-1879)

Birth. July 12, 1805, Naples. Neapolitan patrician. Son of Palatine Prince and Count Francesco Carafa della Spina, 3rd duke of Traetto, and Paola Orsini, of the princes of Solofra and the dukes of Gravina. Great-grand-nephew of Cardinal Francesco Carafa della Spina di Traetto (1773). Other cardinals of the family were Filippo Carafa della Serra (1378); Oliviero Carafa (1467); Gianvincenzo Carafa (1527); Carlo Carafa (1555); Diomede Carafa (1555); Alfonso Carafa (1557); Antonio Carafa (1568); Decio Carafa (1611); Pier Luigi Carafa, seniore (1645); Carlo Carafa della Spina (1664); Fortunato Ilario Carafa della Spina (1686); Francesco Carafa della Spina di Traetto (1773); and Marino Carafa di Belvedere (1801).

Education. Collegio Nazareno, Rome, 1817-1823; Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles, Rome, 1823. Public gymnasium of the S. Eustachio region, Rome (doctorate in utroque iuris, both civil and canon law, July 22, 1826).

Priesthood. Ordained, May 30, 1841. Vice-legate in Ravenna, 1819. Apostolic delegate in Spoleto, 1823; in Rieti, 1832; and in Macerata, 1834-1839. Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber.

Episcopate. Elected archbishop of Benevento, July 22, 1844. Consecrated, August 11, 1844, Rome, by Cardinal Vincenzo Macchi.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of July 22, 1844; received the red hat and the title of S. Maria degli Angeli, July 25, 1844. Participated in the conclave of 1846, which elected Pope Pius IX. Expelled from Benevento in 1860 after its annexation to the Italian kingdom. Participated in the First Vatican Council, 1869-1870. Secretary of Apostolic Briefs, January 30, 1879. Grand chancellor of the Pontifical Military Orders. Participated in the conclave of 1878. Opted for the title of S. Lorenzo in Lucina, May 12, 1879.

Death. June 17 (1), 1879, Naples . Exposed in the metropolitan cathedral of Naples and buried, temporarily, in the chapel of the archconfraternity of the Bianchi dello Spirito Santo, in the new cemetery of that city.

Bibliography. Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, VII, 34, 42 and 110; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1979, VIII, 49.

Link. Biography, in Italian; and his genealogy, A3 B1 C2 D2 E1 F2 G10 H7.

(1) This is according to Ritzler, Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, VII, 34 and 110; his genealogy, linked above, indicates that he died on June 16, 1879.

(69) 2. CAPACCINI, Francesco (1784-1845)

Birth. August 14, 1784, Rome.

Education. Collegio Romano, Rome; Seminario Romano, Rome.

Early life. Notable astronomer and director of the Observatory of Naples.

Priesthood. Ordained, September 19, 1807. Minutant in the Secretariat of State, 1815. Scretary and close collaborator of Cardinal Ercole Consalvi. Substitute of the Secretariat of Apostolic Briefs. Participated in the negotiation of the concordat with the Low Countries, 1827. Internuncio in Holland, 1828-31. Substitute of the Secretariat of State and secretary of the Cipher, 1831-1837. Secretary of the S.C. of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, remaining as substitute and secretary of the Cipher, July 11, 1836. Canon of the patriarchal Lateran basilica, 1837. Negotiated the normalization of diplomatic relations with Portugal, 1842. Auditor general of the Apostolic Chamber, 1844.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of July 22, 1844; published in the consistory of April 21, 1845; died before receiving the red hat and the title.

Death. June 15, 1845, Rome. Exposed and buried in the church of S. Maria in Aquiro.

(70) 3. ZACCHIA RONDININI, Giuseppe Antonio (1787-1845)

Birth. February 22, 1787, in the castle Vezzano, diocese of Luni-Sarzana. Fourth son of Francesco Zacchia. Distant relative of Cardinals Paolo Emilio Zacchia (1599), Laudivio Zaccia (1626) and Paolo Emilio Rondinini (1643).

Education. Collegio of Lucca, Lucca; La Sapienza University, Rome (doctorates in philosophy and diritto delle genti, 1810).

Early life. Secretary of Msgr. Tassoni at the Sacred Roman Rota, October 1814. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace, February 15, 1816. Relator of the S.C. of Good Government, March 9, 1816. Vice-legate in Romagna, November 21, 1816. Named protonotary apostolic, April 30, 1817; adscribed to the college of protonotaries apostolic, April 29, 1817. Governor in Ascoli Piscena, November 28, 1818. Governor in Fermo, March 21, 1821; and in Frosinone, May 17, 1821. Destined to Spoleto, was instead named governor in Viterbo, April 23, 1823. Relator of the Sacred Consulta, 1824. Vicar of the basilica of S. Pietro in Damaso, Rome, April 5, 1829; confirmed, 1833. Auditor of the Sacred Roman Rota, 1829. During the sede vacante of Pope Pius VIII, the Sacred College of Cardinals sent him as pro-legate to Romagna, December 4, 1830. Knight of the Sovereign Order of Malta, January 29, 1835. Vicar of the Cardinal Carlo Odescalchi, archpriest of the patriarchal Liberian basilica, 1835. Received the subdiaconate, July 20, 1841; diaconate, July 25, 1841.

Priesthood. Ordained, Sunday, July 26, 1841, by Cardinal Giacomo Luigi Brignole; celebrated his first mass at the altar of the Borghese chapel in the patriarchal Liberian basilica, Rome. Governor of Rome, vice-camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church and Director general of police, January 25 (1), 1842 until April 21, 1845.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of July 22, 1844; published in the consistory of April 21, 1845; received the red hat and the deaconry of S. Nicola in Carcere, April 24, 1845.

Death. November 26 (2), 1845, of a lieve indisposizione, mal curate, in un coropo già molto affievolito, Rome. Exposed in the church of S. Marcello, Rome, where his funeral took place on December 1, 1845; and buried in his deaconry on the left arm of the crossing next to the altar of S. Nicola.

Bibliography. Del Re, Niccolò. Monsignor governatore di Roma. Rome : Istituto di Studi Romani Editore, 1972, p. 127; Zacchia Rondinini, Antonio. Memorie della famiglia Zacchia Rondinini. Cenni storici e biografici. Documenti. Bologna : L. Parma, 1942, pp. 76-101; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VII (1800-1846). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, pp. 34 and 46.

(1) This is according to Del Re, Monsignor governatore di Roma, p. 127; Zacchia Rodinini, Memorie della famiglia Zacchia Rondinini, p. 97, indicates that he was appointed on January 24, 1842.
(2) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, VII, p. 34; Zacchia Rodinini, Memorie della famiglia Zacchia Rondinini, p. 101, indicates that he died on November 27, 1845.

(71) 4. SIMONETTI, Lorenzo (1789-1855)

Birth. May 27, 1789, Rome.

Education. (No information found).

Priesthood. Ordained (no information found). Substitute of the Secretariat of State for Internal Affairs. Assessor of the S.C. of the Roman and Universal Inquisition.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of July 22, 1844; published in the consistory of November 24, 1845; received the red hat, November 27, 1845; and the title of S. Lorenzo in Pansiperna, January 19, 1846. Participated in the conclave of 1846, which elected Pope Pius IX. Prefect of the Economy of the S.C. of Propaganda Fide, 1847. Secretary of Memorialas, March 18, 1852.

Death. January 9, 1855, Rome. Exposed in the church of S. Marcello, Rome, where his funeral took place on January 12, 1855, with the participation of Pope Pius IX; and buried in his title.

(72) 5. PICCOLOMINI, Giacomo (1795-1861)

Birth. July 31, 1795, Siena. His last name is also listed as Piccolomini Amadori. His family gave the Church Popes Pius II and Pius III; as well as Cardinals Giovanni Piccolomini (1517); Celio Piccolomini (1664); and Enea Silvio Piccolomini (1766).

Education. Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles, 1816.

Priesthood. Ordained (no information found). Dean of the clerics of the Apostolic Chamber. President of the Armi, 1838.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of July 22, 1844; published in the consistory of November 24, 1845; received red hat and the title of S. Balbina, January 19, 1846. Participated in the conclave of 1846, which elected Pope Pius IX. Opted for the title of S. Marco, October 4, 1847.

Death. August 17, 1861, Siena. Exposed in the parish church of S. Giovanni, Siena, and buried temporarily, in the metropolitan cathedral of Siena.

Bibliography. Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VII (1800-1846). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, pp. 35 and 40; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VIII (1846-1903). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1979, p. 49.

PALLAVICINI, Alerame Maria (1803-1867)

Birth. October 21, 1803, Genoa. Of one of the premier aristocratic families of that city. Only son of Marquis Antonio Pallavicini, Genoese patrician, and his second wife, Maria Spinola.

Education. (No information found).

Early life. Entered the Roman prelature as domestic prelate and apostolic protonotary in 1831. Named prelate of the S.C. of the Council before June 27, 1832. Named assessor of the tribunal of the governor of Rome before January 23, 1823. Apostolic delegate in Orvieto, January 20, 1834. Apostolic delegate in Spoleto, April 6, 1835. Apostolic delegate in Perugia and prelate of the Congregation of the Fabric of St. Peter's, July 11, 1836. Named master of the papal chamber, September 13, 1838. Named majordome and prefect of the Apostolic Palace, January 24, 1842.

Sacred order. (No information found).

Cardinalate. According to Philippe Boutry, Souverain et Pontife, pp. 609-1610, he was created cardinal and reserved in pectore by Pope Gregory XVI but Pope Pius IX refused to publish him; the author adds that it was, doubtless, because he was an active member of the "Genoese party" of Cardinal Luigi Lambruschini. Governor of the conclave of 1846. On July 31, 1847, he was temporarily replaced in his posts by Msgr. Giovanni Rusconi and authorized to leave Rome to try to recover his health; the function of majordome was suppressed and united to the prefecture of the Apostolic Palace entrusted to a cardinal; Cardinal Giacomo Antonelli was named to the post on November 1, 1848.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Perge, July 7, 1848. Consecrated, December 10, 1848, shrine of Madonna della Misricordia de Valle San Bernardo, Savona, by Giovanni Battista De Albertis, titular archbishop of Nazianzo. Honorary member of the Roman Academy of Archeology, July 23, 1848; member corrispondente, from 1852.

Death. October 12, 1867, S. Michele di Pagana. Buried (no information found).

Bibliography. Boutry, Philippe. Souverain et Pontife : recherches prosopographiques sur la curie romaine à l'âge de la restauration, 1814-1846. Rome : École française de Rome, 2002, pp. 609-610; Moroni, Gaetano. Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni. 103 vols. in 53. Venezia : Tipografia Emiliana, 1840-1861, XLI, 280; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VIII (1846-1903). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1979, p. 447.