 | This article includes alist of references,related reading, orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(November 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Alessandro Franchi | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal Secretary of State | |
.jpg) The then-archbishop Franchi in 1865. | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Appointed | 5 March 1878 |
| Term ended | 31 July 1878 |
| Predecessor | Giovanni Simeoni |
| Successor | Lorenzo Nina |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Trastevere (1874-78) Prefect of the Apostolic Palaces (1878) |
| Previous posts | Titular Archbishop of Thessalonica (1856-73) Apostolic Nuncio to Florence (1856-59) Secretary of the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs (1860-68) Apostolic Nuncio to Spain (1868-69) Prefect of the Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith (1874-78) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 16 March 1842 |
| Consecration | 6 July 1856 by Pope Pius IX |
| Created cardinal | 22 December 1873 by Pope Pius IX |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alessandro Franchi (1819-06-25)25 June 1819 |
| Died | 31 July 1878(1878-07-31) (aged 59) |
| Buried | Campo Verano |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Roman Seminary Sapienza University of Rome |
Alessandro Franchi (25 June, 1819 – 31 July, 1878) was an Italiancardinal andarchbishop.
His father was anotary. He studied at thePontifical Roman Seminary, where he received hisDoctor of Theology degree in 1841, followed by a degreein utroque iure from theSapienza University of Rome. In 1842, he was ordained a priest and taken under the sponsorship ofLuigi Lambruschini, theCardinal Secretary of State.
In 1848, during theFirst Italian War of Independence, he was selected to become part of a sensitive diplomatic mission to EmperorFerdinand I; an unsuccessful attempt to convince the Emperor that he should give up theHabsburg-held territories in Italy. Five years later, he served briefly aschargé d'affaires in Madrid. In 1856, he became theTitular Bishop ofThessalonica. Later that same year, he was ordained a bishop byPope Pius IX.
He was also appointedApostolic Nuncio for the city of Florence, which was then the capital of theGrand Duchy of Tuscany. In that capacity, he opposed the unification efforts of CountCamillo Cavour. After the expulsion of Grand DukeFerdinand IV, the Grand Duchy became part of theKingdom of Sardinia, so Franchi returned to Rome and was appointed Secretary of Church Affairs.
In 1868, he returned to Madrid, this time as Apostolic Nuncio, but was there for less than a year when he was expelled following theGlorious Revolution. After that, he was involved in preparing for theFirst Vatican Council. When the proclamation ofPapal Infallibility caused a schism in theArmenian Catholic Church, he was sent to Istanbul to convince SultanAbdülaziz that the Vatican's position was correct and ensure thatPatriarch Anthony Petros IX Hassun would also be recognized as infallible. Thanks to the assistance ofMehmed Emin Âli Pasha, theGrand Vizier, he was able to achieve that goal, but the Vizier's death prevented the agreement from being formally applied.
He was created a Cardinal on 22 December 1873 and, the following month, received the title of "Santa Maria in Trastevere". In 1875, he was appointed Prefect of "Propagande Fide" (now known as theCongregation for the Evangelization of Peoples).
At thePapal conclave held after the death of Pius IX, he was a supporter of Cardinal Pecci, who was elected and took the name ofLeo XIII. Franchi was then appointed Cardinal Secretary of State and followed a moderate course. He had already made some diplomatic approaches to Bavaria and Prussia when he died suddenly, frommalaria (although some suspected poisoning).
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Cardinal Secretary of State 5 March – 31 July 1878 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
