Francesco Adriano Ceva
Encyclopedia
Francesco Adriano Ceva was a Catholic
Cardinal
from Savoy
.
Francesco Adriano Ceva was born in 1580 in Mondovì
, Savoy
to the House of Ceva; Marquis
es of Ceva
. His birth name may have been Hadriano or simply Adriano only.
As a young man he went to Rome
and became a prelate
to Cardinal Maffeo Barberini who was later elected to the papal throne as Pope Urban VIII
. He served as the secretary of Barberini's legation to France
and as a conclavist
to the Cardinal during the 1623 conclave
. It is said he was responsible, at least in part, for masterminding Barberini's ascent to the papacy.
Pope Urban's election meant promotion for Ceva and he became a domestic prelate
to the Pope. Later he was sent as a nuncio
extraordinaire to France.
He was further rewarded when Urban elevated him to cardinal in 1643 and he was made Cardinal-Priest at Santa Prisca
. The following year, Pope Urban died and Ceva participated in the conclave of 1644
, which elected Pope Innocent X
. He later participated in the conclave of 1655
, which elected Pope Alexander VII
. He died a few months later on 12 October 1655.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
from Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
.
Francesco Adriano Ceva was born in 1580 in Mondovì
Mondovì
Mondovì is a town and comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, located c. 80 km from Turin....
, Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
to the House of Ceva; Marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
es of Ceva
Ceva
Ceva, the ancient Ceba, is a small Italian town in the province of Cuneo, region of Piedmont, 49 km east of Cuneo. It lies on the right bank of the Tanaro on a wedge of land between that river and the Cevetta stream.-History:...
. His birth name may have been Hadriano or simply Adriano only.
As a young man he went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and became a prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
to Cardinal Maffeo Barberini who was later elected to the papal throne as Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
. He served as the secretary of Barberini's legation to France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
and as a conclavist
Conclavist
A conclavist was a personal aide of a cardinal present in a papal conclave. The term is sometimes used to refer to all present with a conclave, including the cardinal-electors, but is more properly applied only to the non-cardinals...
to the Cardinal during the 1623 conclave
Papal conclave, 1623
The papal conclave of 1623 was the papal conclave of Cardinals called on the death of Pope Gregory XV. It lasted eighteen days from 19 July 1623 to 6 August 1623 and chose Maffeo Barberini, who took office as Pope Urban VIII.- History :...
. It is said he was responsible, at least in part, for masterminding Barberini's ascent to the papacy.
Pope Urban's election meant promotion for Ceva and he became a domestic prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
to the Pope. Later he was sent as a nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
extraordinaire to France.
He was further rewarded when Urban elevated him to cardinal in 1643 and he was made Cardinal-Priest at Santa Prisca
Santa Prisca
Santa Prisca is a basilica church in Rome, devoted to Saint Prisca, a 1st century martyr, on the Aventine hill. It was built in the 4th or 5th century over a temple of Mithras, and is recorded as the Titulus Priscae in the acts of the 499 synod....
. The following year, Pope Urban died and Ceva participated in the conclave of 1644
Papal conclave, 1644
The papal conclave of 1644 was the papal conclave of Cardinals called on the death of Pope Urban VIII. It lasted from 9 August to 15 September 1644 and eventually chose Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who took office as Pope Innocent X.- Urban's influence :...
, which elected Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...
. He later participated in the conclave of 1655
Papal conclave, 1655
The Papal conclave of 1655 was the papal conclave of Cardinals called on the death of Pope Innocent X. The conclave elected Fabio Chigi, who took office as Alexander VII.- History :...
, which elected Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII , born Fabio Chigi, was Pope from 7 April 1655, until his death.- Early life :Born in Siena, a member of the illustrious banking family of Chigi and a great-nephew of Pope Paul V , he was privately tutored and eventually received doctorates of philosophy, law, and theology from...
. He died a few months later on 12 October 1655.