Pope Marcellus II

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(MARCELLO CERVINI DEGLI SPANNOCHI)

Born 6 May, 1501, atMontepulciano inTuscany; died 6 May, 1555, atRome. His father, Ricardo Cervini, was Apostolic treasurer in theMarch of Ancona. After studying some time atSiena, he came toRome, shortly after the accession ofClement VII, in 1523, to continue his studies, and through his purity of life and longing forknowledge gained the respect and friendship of manypersons of high influence.Paul III, who had succeededClement VII in 1534, appointed him prothonotary apostolic andpapal secretary. When, in 1538,Paul III entrusted his youthful nephew, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, with practically the complete management of the temporal affairs of theChurch, the prudent and virtuous Cervini was appointed the adviser and private secretary of the young and inexperiencedcardinal and as such had a great influence in thepapal curia. He accompanied Farnese on his various legations, and in order that he might take actual part in the consultations and negotiations between Farnese and the monarchs ofEurope he was createdcardinal-priest of the title of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, 19 December, 1539. He had already been appointed to theSee of Nicastro, in addition to which he became administrator of the Diocese of Reggio the following year and that ofGubbio in 1544. In 1539 he accompanied Farnese on an important legation toCharles V of Germany andFrancis I of France. The purpose of this legation was to induce the two monarchs to send theprelates of their countries to the intended General Council of theChurch and to gain their assistance againstHenry VIII of England and theTurks.

They had an audience withFrancis I atAmiens on 9 February, 1540, and with the emperor atGhent on the twenty-fourth of the same month, but their missionproved useless. They were already returning toRome when Cervini received orders from thepope to stay aslegate at the imperial court and to represent him at the Diet which the emperor wished to convene atSpeyer. When, however, it became evident that theProtestants would be predominant at the Diet and had no desire to come to an understanding with theCatholics, thepope counteracted his order and sent no representative to the Diet which in the meantime had been transferred to Hagenau. In October, 1540, Cervini returned toRome, not, however, before he had urgently requested thepope to send a representative to the intended Diet of Worms. In a consistory held atRome on 6 February, 1545, he was appointed one of the three presidents of theCouncil of Trent. His two colleagues were Cardinals Giovanni Maria del Monte (afterwardsJulius III) andReginald Pole. On 13 March, 1545, he arrived atTrent. During the first period of the Council, i.e. from its opening session on 13 December, 1545, until its prorogation for an indefinite period at Bologna on 14 September, 1547, he fearlessly represented the interests of thepope and theChurch against all opposition from the emperor, whose extremehatred he in consequence incurred. In 1548 he succeededAgostino Steuco as librarian of the Vatican with the title of "Bibliothecæ Apostolicæ Vaticanæ Protector". Under his protectorate the Vaticanlibrary was soon put in a flourishingcondition. More than 500 Latin, Greek and Hebrew volumes were added, and new catalogues of the Greek and Latinmanuscripts were prepared. As early as 1539 he had induced thepope to have printed at least the most valuable Greekmanuscripts. Cervini's public activity was less prominent during the pontificate ofJulius III (1550-5). He was replaced as president of theCouncil of Trent by Marcello Crescenzi in the hope that the emperor would give his support to the presidents of the Council.

After the death ofJulius III (23 March, 1555), thecardinals present inRome, 3 in number, entered theconclave on 4 April, and four days later Cardinal Marcello Cervini was electedpope, although the emperor had instructed hiscardinals to prevent his election. Contrary to custom, Cervini, likeAdrian VI, retained his old name of Marcello and was called Marcellus II. On the following day, 10 April, he wasconsecratedbishop, for, though he had administered the Dioceses ofNicastro,Reggio, andGubbio, he had not yet received episcopalconsecration. He wascrownedpope on the same day, but without the customary solemnity, on account of theLenten season. The newpope had been one of thosecardinals who were desirous of an inner reform of theChurch. While administrator ofReggio he undertook a thorough visitation of thediocese in 1543, and abolished abuses wherever they were found. Immediately upon his accession he took the work of reform in hand; he died after a reign of only 22 days, of a sickness resulting from overexertion during the pontifical functions ofHoly Week andEaster.Palestrina entitled one of his famous polyphonic masses "Missa Papæ Marcelli" in hishonour. This mass was not, however, as is often asserted, chanted in the presence of Marcellus II; it was not composed until after the death of thispope.

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