Cesare Monti | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal,Archbishop of Milan | |
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| See | Milan |
| Appointed | 20 December 1632 |
| Term ended | 16 August 1650 |
| Predecessor | Federico Borromeo |
| Successor | Alfonso Litta |
| Other post | Cardinal Priest ofSanta Maria in Traspontina |
| Previous post | Latin Patriarch of Antioch |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 28 January 1630 (Bishop) by Giovanni Pamphili |
| Created cardinal | 28 Nov 1633 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1593-05-05)5 May 1593 |
| Died | 16 August 1650(1650-08-16) (aged 57) Milan |
| Buried | Cathedral of Milan |
Cesare Monti (5 May 1593 – 16 August 1650) was anItalianCardinal who served asLatin Patriarch of Antioch andArchbishop of Milan.[1]
Cesare Monti was born on 5 May 1593[2] inMilan to the patrician family of Princivalle Monti and Anna Landriani. Because his father was a childhood friend of the Archbishop of Milan CardinalFederico Borromeo, Cesare was allowed to enter into the prestigiousCollegio Borromeo of Pavia. Cesare earned a doctorate Law at theUniversity of Pavia in 1617 and he took up a career as lawyer in Milan.[2] In 1618, under the tutelage of Cardinal Federico Borromeo, he moved to Rome where he becameprotonotary apostolic and in 1620 he was appointedreferendary of the Tribunals of theApostolic Signature, thus starting the ecclesiastic career in the administration of thePapal States.[3] He also becameprelate of theSacred Consulta, a consultor to theUniversal Inquisition underFrancesco Barberini and later his assessor.
Cesare Monti in Rome met and was estimated byMaffeo Barberini, who, when he became pope with the name of Urban VIII, assigned to him sensitive tasks, up to the appointment asApostolic Nuncio to theKingdom of Naples on 27 April 1627.[2] In June 1628 Cesare Monti was assigned to an even more delicate task: he was sent as extraordinary Nuncio to theKingdom of Spain in order to help the ordinary Nuncio,Giovanni Pamphili, in dealing with kingPhilip V. Monti was not able to prevent theWar of the Mantuan Succession, but he didn't lose the esteem of the pope: when on 19 November 1629 Giovanni Pamphili was proclaimed Cardinal, Monti was on the same day appointedLatin Patriarch of Antioch andCardinal in pectore.[4]
Cesare Monti, who at the time had received only theclerical tonsure, received theorders and was consecratedbishop on 28 January 1630 byGiovanni Pamphili in the chapel of theRoyal Palace of Madrid at the presence of the king.[5] Monti became the ordinary Nuncio in Madrid on 27 April 1630 after that Giovanni Pamphili returned to Rome. However the relations with Spanish court, and in particular with theCount-Duke of Olivares, became more and more strained, both because the pro-French politic of Urban VIII and the stout defence by Monti of the ecclesiastic prerogatives.[3]
Theepiscopal see of Milan became empty at the death of CardinalFederico Borromeo in September 1631. PopeUrban VIII at first appointed as new Archbishop of Milan the CardinalGirolamo Colonna di Sciarra, but the Spanish government, under which was theDuchy of Milan, refused the mandatory assent with the justification that Colonna was not a native of Milan.[3] Thus on 20 December 1632 the pope appointed Cesare Monti, born in Milan, as Archbishop of Milan: the Spanish government at first opposed, but later gave its assent on 30 May 1633.[2] On 28 November 1633 Cesare Monti was proclaimedCardinal Priest and on the same date he resigned as Latin Patriarch of Antioch. Monti returned in Rome on 24 June 1634 and he took the title ofSanta Maria in Traspontina on 6 August 1634.[1]
Due to a clash between the Spanish government and the Vicar of the Milan'sChapter about thebenefices arose during the vacancy of the Archbishop, Monti had to wait up to 29 April 1635 to formally enter in Milan.[2][6]
When Monti entered in Milan, the town was still seriously enfeebled by theGreat Plague of Milan which was ended in 1631 and killed almost the half of the population. He issued regulation concerning the discipline of the clergy and he convened all the vicars of the diocese on Milan in 1635. He celebrated three diocesansynods in 1637, 1640, 1650, and he published a new edition of theAmbrosianMissal in 1640.[6] In 1644 he participated to thePapal conclave which elected Giovanni Pamphili, with the name ofPope Innocent X.
With his broadminded approach, Monti supported the unconventional layconfraternity founded byGiacomo Filippo di Santa Pelagia in Milan, which promoted the conversions of prostitutes and which was condemned by the Church after Monti's death.[3] Monti was also a great patron of culture and arts, as well as a collector of paintings, and a part of his gallery, originally of 221 pieces,[3] is now at theDiocesan Museum of Milan.
Monti died on 16 August 1650 in Milan. He was exposed in the metropolitanCathedral of Milan and buried in the Northtransept, though he had expressed a desire to be buried at theSanctuary of the Divine Maternity of Mary inTrezzo sull'Adda. However, cathedral administrators and the Milanese people did not follow his desire,"wanting to have in their cathedral the beloved archbishop".
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$=considered an intruder by theCatholic Church | |
