Azeglio, Cesare Taparelli, Marquis d'

AZEGLIO, Cesare Taparelli, Marquis d'. - Zealous apostle of the good press, father of the well-known writers Luigi (v. TAPARELLI) and Massimo (v. below), born in Turin on 10 February 1763, died in Genoa on 26 November 1830. He was without doubt one of the foremost representatives of the Piedmontese Catholic laity of the early nineteenth century, widely known for the loyalty with which he served the Church and the crown. He took part in the war against the French (1795-96) and was taken prisoner; from 1800 to 1808 he lived in voluntary exile in Florence; in 1814 he was chosen to represent his sovereign before Pius VII, then, among other offices, he was governor of the province of Casale, superior inspector of the Institutes of Public Charity (21 March 1820), and Grandee of the Crown (14 November 1828). He knew Father de Diessbach and was directed by the Servant of God Pio Brunone Lanteri (v.); by these two apostles of the good press he was guided toward this activity. Indeed he became a most active member of two societies having precisely this aim: the Amicizia Cristiana (v.) of Turin and of Florence, and the Amicizia Cattolica of Turin, of which he was secretary, that is president, from its foundation until its suppression by order of Charles Felix (1817-28). He introduced into Piedmont the then nascent Society for the Propagation of the Faith (1824-25). The most original work accomplished by d'A. in favor of the good press was the founding (1822) of the first modern Catholic review in Piedmont: L'Amico d'Italia, giornale morale di lettere, scienze ed arti (16 vols.), which he edited until 1829, when its publication ceased. The greater number of the articles are due to the editor, but well-known writers also collaborated, such as Rosmini, Staffella, Tommaseo, Pindemonte and others.

A. Pietro Frutaz