The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

Biographical Dictionary
Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846)
Consistory of January 24, 1842 (XIX)


(57) 1. SCHWARZENBERG, Friedrich Johannes Jacob Celestin von (1809-1885)

Birth. April 6, 1809, Vienna, Austria. Younngest child of Prince Joseph John Schwarzenberg (1769-1833) and his wife Princess Pauline of Arenberg (1774-1810), who died when he was one year old. Baptized on that same day of his birth in his father's palace in Vienna. He received his intial education from his paternal aunt, Eleanore von Schwarzenberg (1783-1846). Brother of Prince Felix zu Schwarzenberg (1800-1852), Austrian minister of State (1848-1852). Cousin of Cardinal Friedrich Egon Fürstenberg (1879).

Education. Initially, he was educated by private preceptors in the paternal castle of Krumlov (Bohemia) and in the gymnasium of the Benedictine abbey of Schotten (Vienna) (1819-1824) and studied Philosophy at the University of Vienna since 1824, where he began law studies (1826), which he interrupted to enter the Seminary of Salzburg (1827), where he studied (philosophy and theology); then, studied at the Seminary of Vienna (theology); and finally, at the University of Vienna. Received the insignias of the clerical character and the minor orders on March 14, 1830; the subdiaconate on April 9, 1833; and the diaconate on July 23, 1833. Canon domicellaris of the metropolitan chapter of Salzburg, December 24, 1829; metropolitan consistorial assessor, August 1, 1832. Resigned incardination in the archdiocese of Vienna and passed to the archdiocese of Salzburg, March 31, 1833.

Priesthood. Ordained, July 25, 1833. Cooperator in the cathedral parish of Salzburg, October 30, 1833. Proposed by the chapter of Salzburg to occupy its metropolitan see, September 23, 1835, by twelve votes against two. Doctorate in theology, November 26, 1835.

Episcopate. Elected archbishop of Salzburg, February 1, 1836. Consecrated, May 1, 1836, cathedral of Salzburg, by Johannes Nepumucen Tscheiderer, bishop of Trent, assisted by Bernhard Galura, bishop of Brixen, and by Georg Mayer, bishop of Gurk. The archbishops of Salzburg have the title of Primas Germaniæ since 1648.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of January 24, 1842; received the red hat and the title of S. Agostino, January 27, 1842. Did not participate in the conclave of 1846, which elected Pope Pius IX. Decorated with the grand cross of the Austrian Order of Sankt Stefan, 1849. Transferred to the metropolitan see of Prague, May 20, 1850. Participated in the First Vatican Council, December 8, 1869 to July 18, 1870; opposed the definition of the dogma of papal infallibility but as soon as the council passed the declaration, he supported it. Participated in the conclave of 1878, which elected Pope Leo XIII. Cardinal protoprete.

Death. March 27, 1885, Vienna. Transferred by train to Prague on March 30, 1885; exposed and buried in the metropolitan cathedral of Prague. Last surviving cardinal of Pope Gregory XVI; and, at the moment of his death, the most senior member of the Sacred College of Cardinals.

Bibliography. LeBlanc, Jean. Dictionnaire biographique des cardinaux du XIXe siècle : contribution à l'histoire du Sacré Collège sous les pontificats de Pie VII, Léon XII, Pie VIII, Grégoire XVI, Pie IX et Léon XIII, 1800-1903. Montréal : Wilson & Lafleur, 2007. (Collection Gratianus. Série instruments de recherche), p. 860-863; 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. 32, 40 and 330; 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, pp. 468.

Webgraphy. Biography by Cölestin Wolfsgrüber, in English, The Catholic Encyclopedia; his portrait and biography, in English, Wikipedia; his portrait, lithograph by Josef Kriehuber, AEIOU Österreich-Lexikons; sculpture of his head, Oficiální informační systém Český Krumlov; his genealogy, A2 E1 F4, Genealogy EU; his engravings, arms, portraits and photograph, Araldica Vaticana.

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(58) 2. CORSI, Cosimo Barnaba (1798-1870)

Birth. June 10, 1798, Florence. From a Florentine patrician family. Son of Marquis Giuseppe Antonio Corsi (+ post 1822), who was mayor of Sesto Fiorentino (1808-1813), and Countess Maddalena della Gherardesca (1777-1852). Another cardinal of the family was Domenico Maria Corsi (1686). His first name is also listed as Cosimo only.

Education. Initial education at the Piarist school San Giovannino in Florence. Admitted among the pages of Grand Duchess Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi of Tuscany, at the fall of the French regime, he decided to enter the ecclesiastical state in 1815 and, in that same year, he received the ecclesiastical tonsure from Giuseppe Gaetano Incontri, bishop of Volterra; and the minor orders from Antonio Martini, archbishop of Florence, who aggregated him to the clergy of the church of S. Gaetano, of the ius patronatus of his family. Two years later, he went to Rome, and studied at La Sapienza University, where he earned a doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, in June 1818.

Early life. Entered the Roman prelature before June 20, 1818 as domestic prelate of His Holiness and relator of the S.C. of Good Government; and on the following July 16, he was named referendary. The grand duke of Tuscany Ferdinando III presented him, without having finished his studies, to occupy the charge of auditor of the Sacred Roman Rota for Florence. He was nominated on November 29, 1819; and confirmed by motu proprio on December 4, which met the refusal of the Tribunal; Cardinal Ercole Consalvi made the Tribunal accept in exchange for the waiver of the Grand Duchy to the presentation of an auditor; he was admitted to the Tribunal on December 8, 1819; he assumed his functions on the following December 15.

Priesthood. Ordained, 1821. Consultor of the S.C. of Propaganda Fide on November 12, 1826. Named secretary of the Commission of Subsidies on December 22, 1826; occupied the post until his promotion to the cardinalate. Named dean of the auditors of the Sacred Roman Rota on April 6, 1835. His activity at the Rota, even if limited to cases of ordinary administration, is attested by the five volumes of 705 judgments put forth by Monsignor Corsi. Named consultor of the S.C. of the Holy Office on April 25, 1835.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of January 24, 1842; received the red hat and the title of Ss. Giovanni e Paolo, January 27, 1842. Ascribed to the SS. CC. of the Council, Ecclesiastical Immunity, Rites and Sacred Consulta on January 27, 1842. Consultor of the S.C. of Bishops and Regulars in 1843. Named consultor of the special congregation for the reconstruction of the basilica of S. Paolo fuori le mura before June 17, 1843. Protector of the Benedictine Congregation of Vallombrosa on June 20, 1843.

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Jesi, January 20, 1845. Consecrated, January 26, 1845, in the church of S. Maria in Vallicella, Rome, by Cardinal Ludovico Micara, bishop of Ostia e Velletri, dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, prefect of the S.C. of Rites, assisted by Franceso Pichi, titular bishop of Eliopoli, and by Stefano Scerra, titular bishop of Oropi, secretary of the S.C. of Ecclesiastical Immunity. Participated in the conclave of 1846, which elected Pope Pius IX. In 1847, he established evening classes for young workers and artisans; and in 1852, an orphanage for young boys. He had the seminary transferred from Via Valle to Palazzo Ripanti in Piazza Duomo, which he donated to the diocese of Jesi. Nominated to the see of Pisa by Grand Duke Leopoldo II of Tuscany. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Pisa, December 19, 1853. Received the pallium on that same day. In 1860, he refused to celebrate a Te Deum in honor of King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy and was imprisoned for two months (May 19 to July 6) in Turin. Participated in the First Vatican Council, 1869-1870.

Death. October 7, 1870, Agnano. Exposed in the parish church of Agnano and buried, temporarily, in the chapel of the Rmi. Cappellani of the university, Agnano. The Italian government opposed the transfer of his remains to the cathedral of Pisa as he had requested in his will. His wish was ultimately granted on June 30, 1898, when he was reburied in that cathedral, beneath the altar of the Madonna di Sotto gli Organi (1).

Bibliography. Agrifoglio, Benedetto. Memoria per monsig. Cosimo Corsi contro il sig. cav. Angiolo Lorenzo De' Giudici ... sull'incidente della prova testimoniale. [S. l. : s. n.], 1821; 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, p. 351-352; Cini, Marco. "Due alti prelati ottocenteschi cavalieri dell' Ordine e dirigenti dello Studio: Giulio Boninsegni e Cosimo Corsi". [S.l.] : [s.n.], 1997, in: Atti del Convegno L' Ordine di Santo Stefano e la città di Pisa. Dignitari della religione, dirigenti dello studio e funzionari del governo nei secoli 16.-19. : Pisa, 9-10 maggio 1997, p. 191-206; Corsi, Cosimo. Istruzioni dogmatiche e morali da leggersi al popolo dall'altare nei dì festivi. Torino : Marietti, Pietro, 1840, 1867, 1868, 1878. Responsibility: per ordine di Sua Eminenza reverendissima il cardinale Cosimo de'marchesi Corsi arcivescovo di Pisa ... ; Corsi, Cosimo ; Cavallini, Alexander. Decisiones S. Rotae Romanae coram R.P.D. Cosma de Cursiis, Florentino, ejusdem S. Rotae olim decano, modo S.R.E. Cardinali emeritissimo de titulo SS. Joannis et Pauli ac Pisis archiepiscopo. 5 vols. Romae : Ex Typographia Cajetani Chiassi, 1855; Del Corso, Mauro. Un vescovo nella storia : Cosimo Corsi, cardinale di Pisa : la storia di un vescovo. Pisa : Pacini, 1988; Guastini, Luigi. Discorso funebre in lode di sua eminenza reverendissima il cardinale Cosimo Corsi, arcivescovo di Pisa : letto. Pisa : G. Alisi, 1871; LeBlanc, Jean. Dictionnaire biographique des cardinaux du XIXe siècle : contribution à l'histoire du Sacré Collège sous les pontificats de Pie VII, Léon XII, Pie VIII, Grégoire XVI, Pie IX et Léon XIII, 1800-1903. Montréal : Wilson & Lafleur, 2007. (Collection Gratianus. Série instruments de recherche), p. 261-263; Piccioli, Luigi ; Alberti, Giovan Battista. A favore del nobile sig. cav. Angiol Lorenzo De' Giudici e contro monsignor Cosimo dei marchesi Corsi Memoria ... a favore dell'abbazia di S. Gennaro a Capolona. Firenze : nella stamperia Bonducciana, 1822; Pinna, Gabriela Maria. Per la storia della biblioteca del cardinale Cosimo Corsi (1798-1870): analisi dell'inventario e descrizione degli esemplari. Prof.ssa Cristina Moro Relatore. Pisa University, 2009. Dissertation: Thesis / Dissertation ETD. Abstract: Attraverso l'inventario conservato nella Biblioteca Cateriniana del Seminario di Pisa è stata ricostruita la parte del 700 della Biblioteca del Cardinale Corsi Arcivescovo di Pisa che ha donato la sua libreria alla suddetta biblioteca; Relazione autentica dell'arresto del card. Cosimo Corsi arcivescovo di Pisa. Genova : Fassi-Como, 1860; 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. 33, 41 and 61; 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. 455; Scorzi, Donato. All'anima desideratissima del cardinale Cosimo Corsi, ottimo padre, pastore vigilantissimo, i Pisani, ai 12 novembre 1870 ... Pisa : Co'nuovi caratteri della tip. di lett. cattoliche diretta da G. Alisi, 1870.

Webgraphy. Biography by Giacomo Martina, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 29 (1983), Treccani; his bust, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church; engravings and arms, Araldica Vaticana.

(1) This is the text of his epitaph, taken from Del Corso, Un vescovo nella storia : Cosimo Corsi, cardinale di Pisa : la storia di un vescovo, p. 150:

OSSA
CARD. COSMAE EX MARCH. DE CURSIS
PATRICII FLORENTINII
QUI PRUDENTIA ET CHARITATE ADMIRABILI
PER DECEM ET QUINQUE ANNOS
PISANA REXIT ECCLESIAM
FERDINANDUS COM. CAPPONI ARCHIEP.
CAPITULUM PRIMAT. ET HAERES
ANTE ARAM DEIPARAE
UBI IPSE SALTEM COR SUUM COMPONI CUPIERAT
EX COEMETERIO URBANO
INFERENDA CURARUNT
ANNO R. S. M. DCCC. XCVIII.
AB EIUS OBITU VIGESIMO OCTAVO

The cardinal, who so revered the "Madonna di Sotto gli Organi", never got to to see it "visually.". In fact, the only time, during his episcopate, that it was shown, on January 8, 1870, on the occasion of the disastrous flood of the River Arno, Cardinal Corsi was in Rome participating in the First Vatican Council.

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