The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

Biographical Dictionary
(1903-2011)
I

innocenti8.jpg

INNOCENTI, Antonio
(1915-2008)

Birth. August 23, 1915 (1), Poppi, diocese of Fiesole, Italy. His father died, when he was still a one year old child, of injuries he sustained during the First World War.

Education. Studied at the Seminary of Fiesole; at the Pontifical Gregroian University, Rome, where he earned a doctorate in canon law in 1941; at the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in dogmatic theology in 1950; and at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Rome (diplomacy).

Priesthood. Ordained, July 17, 1938, Florence. Pastoral ministry in Valdarno, Toscana, 1938. Further studies and pastoral ministry in Rome, 1938-1941. Successively, 1941-1948, in the diocese of Fiesole, professor of canon law and moral theology at its seminary; secretary to its bishop; convicted twice of helping the victims of the Nazi occupation, he was taken before a firing squad but freed at last minute; pastoral ministry after the Second World War mainly in Tosi, Comune of Reggello, Florence, where he had moved together with his family; founder of the Christian Association of Italian Workers (ACLI) in Fiesole; further studies in Rome, 1948-1950. Entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See, 1950. Secretary of the apostolic delegation in the Belgian Congo, Ruanda Urundi, 1950-1953. Privy chamberlain supernumerary, August 28, 1951; reappointed, October 28, 1958. Auditor of the nunciature in Switzerland, 1953-1960; of the internunciature in Holland, 1960-1961; of the internunciature in Egypt, Syria and Jerusalem, 1961-1962; of the nunciature in Belgium, 1962-1964. Domestic prelate of His Holiness, June 26, 1963. Counselor of the nunciature in France, 1964-1967.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Eclano and appointed nuncio in Paraguay, December 15, 1967. Consecrated, February 18, 1968, basilica of SS. Annunciata, Florence, by Cardinal Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, bishop of title of suburbicarian see of Frascati, secretary of State, assisted by Giovanni Benelli, titular archbishop of Tusuro, substitute of the Secretariat of State, and by Antonio Bagnoli, bishop of Fiesole. His episcopal motto was Lucet spero fide. Secretary of the S.C. for the Discipline of the Sacraments, February 26, 1973; the congregation was reorganized and united with the S.C. for Divine Worship as the S.C. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, July 11, 1975. Nuncio in Spain, October 4, 1980.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of May 25, 1985; received the red biretta and the deaconry of S. Maria in Aquiro, May 25, 1985. Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, January 9, 1986. Attended the VII Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, October 1 to 30, 1987. President of the Pontifical Commission for the Conservation of the the Artistic and Historical Patrimony of the Church, October 8, 1988. Attended the Eighth Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, September 30 to October 28, 1990; president delegate. Resigned the prefecture and the presidency, July 1, 1991. President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, July 1, 1991. Lost the right to participate in the conclave when turned eighty years of age, August 23, 1995. Resigned the presidency, December 16, 1995. Opted for the order of cardinal priests and his deaconry was elevated pro illa vice to title, January 29, 1996. The Associazione Cardinale Innocenti per lo studio e la cura del morbo di Alzheimer e della malattia della senescenza ONLUS, was created in May 2008, following his wishes and with the funds that he donated.

Death. September 6, 2008, at 1:03 p.m., in his apartment at Piazza della Città Leonina 9, Vatican City. Upon learning the news of the death of the cardinal, the pope prayed for the eternal repose of his soul and sent a telegram of condolence to the cardinal's sister (2). On Wednesday September 10, 2008, at 9 a.m., in the Altar of the Chair of the papal Vatican basilica, took place the exequies for the late cardinal. The holy mass was celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, and twenty-five other cardinals. At the end of the eucharistic celebration, Pope Benedict XVI delivered the homily and presided over the rites of Ultima Commendatio and Valedictio. The body of the cardinal was buried in the cemetery of Tosi, Tuscany (3).

Links. Photograph and biography, in Italian, Tu es Petrus; his arms, Araldica Vaticana; his tomb, Wikimedia.

(1) This is according to "Innocenti Antonio" in Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 2007, Città del Vaticano : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2007, p. *58; and his biography in Italian, linked above. His epitaph indicates that he was born on August 27, 1915.
(2) This is the text of the telegram, taken from the Press Office of the Holy See:

Gentile Signora Maria Antonietta Baggiani
Roma

Nell'apprendere la triste notizia della scomparsa del suo caro fratello cardinale Antonio Innocenti desidero esprimere a lei e ai familiari la mia viva partecipazione al lutto che colpisce quanti conobbero e stimarono il compianto porporato per tanti anni solerte collaboratore della Santa Sede in particolare come Rappresentante Pontificio in diversi Paesi come Prefetto della Congregazione per il Clero e infine come Presidente della Pontificia Commissione Ecclesia Dei rendendo ovunque una apprezzata testimonianza di fervoroso zelo sacerdotale e di fedeltà al vangelo. Mentre elevo fervide preghiere al Signore Gesù affinché auspice la Vergine Maria voglia donare al defunto cardinale il premio eterno promesso ai suoi fedeli discepoli invio di cuore a lei e a quanti ne piangono la dipartita una speciale confortatrice Benedizione Apostolica.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Analogous telegram was sent by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State.

(3) This is the text of the epitaph on his vault, taken from the photograph of his tomb, linked above:

27 . 8 . 1915          6 . 9 . 2008
ANTONIO INNOCENTI
VESCOVO

CARDINALE DI SANTA ROMANA CHIESA
DEL TIT. DI S. M. IN AQUIRO
DI NULL'ALTRO MI GLORIO SE NON
DELLA CROCE GI GESÙ CRISTO,
NOSTRO SIGNORE:
EGLI È LA NOSTRA SALVEZZA,
VITA E RESURREZIONE.
CFR. GALATI 6,14

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