Pope Pius VII

head of the Catholic Church, ruler of the Papal States from 1800 to 1823

Pope Pius VII (Latin: Pius Septimus; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 252nd Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.[1]

Pius VII
Papacy began14 March 1800
Papacy ended20 August 1823
PredecessorPope Pius VI
SuccessorPope Leo XII
Personal details
Birth nameBarnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti
Born(1742-08-14)14 August 1742
Died20 August 1823(1823-08-20) (aged 81)
Other popes named Pius

Early life

change

Chiaramonti was born at Cesena, the son of Count Scipione Chiaramonti.[2] His mother, Giovanna was related to the Braschi family.

At the age of 16, he joined the Benedictine Order in 1756; and he was called Brother Gregory.[2]

Priest

change

Chiaramonte was ordained on 21 September 1765.

Bishop

change

In 1782, Pius VI made Brother Gregory Bishop of Tivoli, which is near Rome.[2] Later, he became the Bishop of Imola.[3]

Cardinal

change

Pius VI raised Bishop Chiaramonte to the rank of Cardinal in 1785.[2] The see (titular church) of Cardinal Chiaramonte was the Basilica of St. Callistus.[4]

Cardinal Chiaramonti was elected pope on March 14 1800; and he chose to be called Pius VII.[2] He appointed Ercole Consalvi as his Secretary of State.[5]

Pope Pius was involved in Italian and European political disputes.[2]

Pius traveled from Rome to Paris to crown Napoleon as Emperor of the French in 1804.[3] Before leaving Rome, he signed abdication papers which would take effect if he were put in prison in France.[6] He was not put in prison; and he did not abdicate.[2]

After his death

change

Pius VII's monument (1831) in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, is by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.[3]

change

References

change
 
The Coat of Arms of Pius VII
  1. "List of Popes," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-02.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Pope Pius VII," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-10-27.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. C. Knight. 1840. pp. 201–203.
  4. Giga-Catholic Information (GCatholic), Pope Pius VII; retrieved 2011-11-01.
  5. Chisholm, Hugh (1911). Encyclopedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information. University Press. pp. 686–687.
  6. "Abdication," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2013-2-11.

Other websites

change

  Media related to Pius VII at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by
Pius VI
Pope
1800–1823
Succeeded by
Leo XII