Benedetto Lorenzelli

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cardinal name=Benedetto Cardinal Lorenzelli
dipstyle=His Eminence
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Benedetto Cardinal Lorenzelli (May 11, 1853—September 15, 1915) was am Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Studies from 1914 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1907.

Biography

Benedetto Lorenzelli was born in Castel di Casio, and studied at the seminary in Bologna and the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum "S. Apollinare" in Rome, from where he obtained his doctorates in philosophy, theology, and civil and canon law. Lorenzelli was ordained to the priesthood on April 1, 1876, and then taught philosophy at the Pontifical Urbanian Athenaeum in Rome until 1884.

He was Professor of Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum "S. Apollinare" from 1884 to 1889, whilst serving as the first Rector of the Pontifical Bohemian College. After being named as member of the Pontifical Academy "S. Tommaso", Lorenzelli served as an "ablegato" to Vienna on April 3, 1884, and later received an honorary doctorate in philosophy from the University of Laval in Canada. He was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness in 1889, and became an "attaché" in the nunciature to Austria on April 3 of that same year. On June 18, 1890, he entered the Roman Curia as a referendary prelate of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature. He was also made Internuncio to Holland and Luxembourg on May 30, 1893, and a protonotary apostolic on June 10, 1893.

On October 1, 1896, Lorenzelli was appointed Nuncio to Germany, and later Titular Archbishop of "Sardes" on November 30, by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 8 from Mariano Cardinal Rampolla del Tindaro, with Archbishops Ernesto Respighi and Lorenzo Passerini serving as co-consecrators, in the church of the Oblates in "Tor de' Specchi". Lorenzelli was Nuncio to France from May 10, 1899 to July 31, 1904, when diplomatic relations between the Vatican and France were terminated. On November 14, 1904, he was named Archbishop of Lucca.

Pope Pius X created him Cardinal Priest of "S. Croce in Gerusalemme" in the consistory of April 15, 1907. Lorenzelli, following a period of five years, resigned as Archbishop on March 26, 1910, and was appointed Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Studies on February 13, 1914. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 1914 papal conclave, which selected Pope Benedict XV. Lorenzelli was also one of the three Cardinal-Presidents of the Pontifical Academy "S. Tommaso", together with Louis Billot, SJ, and Michele Lega.

The Cardinal died in Bucciano, at the age of 62, and is buried there as well.

External links

* [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios-l.htm#Lorenzelli Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blor.html Catholic-Hierarchy]