Gian Matteo Giberti
Encyclopedia
Gian Matteo Giberti was an Italian diplomat, Bishop of Verona.
, he was the natural son of Francesco Giberti, a Genoese naval captain. In 1513 he was admitted to the household of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici
, and advanced so rapidly in Latin and Greek that he soon became an eminent member of the Academia Romana. Later he was appointed the cardinal's secretary, and Pope Leo X
, with whom he had political dealings, valued his opinions and advice.
In 1521 he was chief intermediary with the envoy of Emperor Charles V. He used his influence over the pope to protect and help struggling men of letters. He led a severely religious life, and was a member of the Sodalitium Divini Amoris of St. Cajetan and Cardinal Carafa (future pope Paul IV). After his ordination to the priesthood, and the death of Leo X, he was sent by Cardinal Giulio, his patron, on a mission to Charles V, and returned to Rome with the new pope, Adrian VI.
Pope Clement VII
, immediately after his election, made him Datario (1523), and in 1524, at the request of the Doge of Venice
, he was appointed Bishop of Verona. Being obliged, against his will, to remain in Rome, he had himself represented at Verona by a vicar-general.
Giberti was chosen a member of the Consilium de Emendanda Ecclesia
, the reform committee decreed by the Fifth Lateran Council, but political events soon put an end to these labours. At Pavia
(1525) he tried to make peace between Francis I of France
and Charles V. It was at his prompting that Clement VII espoused the cause of France; the League of Cognac (22 May 1526) was also his work.
After the Sack of Rome
(1527) he was put in prison and barely escaped death. He succeeded in making his escape, and went to Verona
(1528) intending to devote himself to his diocese
. He was done with politics, all the more because the pope had gone over to the imperial cause. However, he appeared from time to time in the Curia
. Pope Paul III
recalled him to Rome for the work of the Reform Committee; among other missions he was sent to Trent
to make preparations for the council
.
His efforts to reform his diocese, whose clergy were in a deplorable state, were crowned with success. The Tridentine reforms were put in force long before the council assembled. St. Charles Borromeo, before taking charge of his see
at Milan
, wished to study Giberti's system at Verona, and chose as his vicar-general a priest from Verona trained in Giberti's school.
His first aim was to improve the standard of ecclesiastical knowledge. In his own palace he set up a printing-press which turned out numerous editions of the Greek Fathers, in whose writings he was very learned. He reformed the choir-school of Verona; for the instruction of the young he had printed the catechism
known as Dialogus, the work of Tullio Crispoldi (1539).
At Verona, moreover, he gathered around him a group of learned men to assist him in his efforts at reform. His complete works were edited by the scholars Pietro and Girolamo Ballerini (Constitutiones Gibertinae, Costituzioni per le Monache, Monitiones generales, Edicta Selecta, Lettere Scelte, 1733, 1740), together with an appendix containing the story of his life, a Dissertatio de restitutâ ante concilium Tridentinum per Jo. Matth. Giberti ecclesiasticâ disciplina, and two panegyrics.
Biography
Born at PalermoPalermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, he was the natural son of Francesco Giberti, a Genoese naval captain. In 1513 he was admitted to the household of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici
Giulio de' Medici
Giulio de' Medici may refer to:*Pope Clement VII, Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici, *Giulio di Alessandro de' Medici , illegitimate son of the last ruler of Florence from the "senior" branch of the Medici, Alessandro de' Medici...
, and advanced so rapidly in Latin and Greek that he soon became an eminent member of the Academia Romana. Later he was appointed the cardinal's secretary, and Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
, with whom he had political dealings, valued his opinions and advice.
In 1521 he was chief intermediary with the envoy of Emperor Charles V. He used his influence over the pope to protect and help struggling men of letters. He led a severely religious life, and was a member of the Sodalitium Divini Amoris of St. Cajetan and Cardinal Carafa (future pope Paul IV). After his ordination to the priesthood, and the death of Leo X, he was sent by Cardinal Giulio, his patron, on a mission to Charles V, and returned to Rome with the new pope, Adrian VI.
Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII
Clement VII , born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici, was a cardinal from 1513 to 1523 and was Pope from 1523 to 1534.-Early life:...
, immediately after his election, made him Datario (1523), and in 1524, at the request of the Doge of Venice
Doge of Venice
The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...
, he was appointed Bishop of Verona. Being obliged, against his will, to remain in Rome, he had himself represented at Verona by a vicar-general.
Giberti was chosen a member of the Consilium de Emendanda Ecclesia
Consilium de Emendanda Ecclesia
The Consilium de Emendanda Ecclesia was a report commissioned by Pope Paul III on the abuses in the Catholic Church in 1536.The commission appointed to review the abuses in the church was presided over by Gasparo Cardinal Contarini and consisted of eight additional cardinals: Girolamo Aleandro,...
, the reform committee decreed by the Fifth Lateran Council, but political events soon put an end to these labours. At Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
(1525) he tried to make peace between Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
and Charles V. It was at his prompting that Clement VII espoused the cause of France; the League of Cognac (22 May 1526) was also his work.
After the Sack of Rome
Sack of Rome (1527)
The Sack of Rome on 6 May 1527 was a military event carried out by the mutinous troops of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in Rome, then part of the Papal States...
(1527) he was put in prison and barely escaped death. He succeeded in making his escape, and went to Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
(1528) intending to devote himself to his diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
. He was done with politics, all the more because the pope had gone over to the imperial cause. However, he appeared from time to time in the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
. Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation...
recalled him to Rome for the work of the Reform Committee; among other missions he was sent to Trent
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
to make preparations for the council
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
.
His efforts to reform his diocese, whose clergy were in a deplorable state, were crowned with success. The Tridentine reforms were put in force long before the council assembled. St. Charles Borromeo, before taking charge of his see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, wished to study Giberti's system at Verona, and chose as his vicar-general a priest from Verona trained in Giberti's school.
His first aim was to improve the standard of ecclesiastical knowledge. In his own palace he set up a printing-press which turned out numerous editions of the Greek Fathers, in whose writings he was very learned. He reformed the choir-school of Verona; for the instruction of the young he had printed the catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
known as Dialogus, the work of Tullio Crispoldi (1539).
At Verona, moreover, he gathered around him a group of learned men to assist him in his efforts at reform. His complete works were edited by the scholars Pietro and Girolamo Ballerini (Constitutiones Gibertinae, Costituzioni per le Monache, Monitiones generales, Edicta Selecta, Lettere Scelte, 1733, 1740), together with an appendix containing the story of his life, a Dissertatio de restitutâ ante concilium Tridentinum per Jo. Matth. Giberti ecclesiasticâ disciplina, and two panegyrics.