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Gaetano BisletiItalian Cardinal
Date of Birth: 20.03.1856
Country:  Italy |
Content:
- Early Life and Priesthood
- Vatican Curia and Cardinalate
- Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education
- Papacy and Death
- Cardinal Bisleti died in Grottaferrata on August 30, 1937.
Early Life and Priesthood
Gaetano Bisleti was born in Veroli, Papal States, and received his education at the Tivoli Seminary and the Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles, where he earned a doctorate in theology in 1879. Ordained a priest on September 20, 1878, Bisleti was appointed canon and archdeacon of the cathedral chapter of Veroli, where he served until 1884.
Vatican Curia and Cardinalate
On December 20, 1884, Bisleti was named a secret chamberlain de numero participantium, and on September 28, 1889, a canon of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica. He was appointed apostolic protonotary "ad instar participantium" on June 13, 1901, and elevated to the rank of Privy Chamberlain and Master of the papal chamber on May 29, 1901. On December 14, 1905, he became Prefect of the Papal Household.
Bisleti was created and proclaimed a cardinal-deacon with the titular diaconate of Sant'Agata alla Suburra by Pope Pius X on November 27, 1911. He served as Grand Prior of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from January 2, 1914, and participated in the 1914 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XV.
Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education
On December 1, 1915, Pope Benedict XV appointed Bisleti as the first Prefect of the Congregation of Seminaries and Universities. He became cardinal-protodeacon on November 5, 1916.
Papacy and Death
Cardinal Bisleti was a cardinal-elector in the 1922 papal conclave that elected Pope Pius XI. As cardinal-protodeacon, he proclaimed "Habemus Papam" for the election of Cardinal Achille Ratti and crowned Pope Pius XI with the papal tiara on February 12, 1922.
He was the longest-serving cardinal-deacon from 1916 to 1928 and was then elected to the order of cardinal-priests, his diaconate being raised pro hac vice to titular church on December 17, 1928. He served as President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission from October 27, 1932, until his death.
