BEDINI, GAETANO

BEDINI, GAETANO. — Cardinal; born in Senigallia on 15 May 1806, died in Viterbo on 6 September 1864. After completing his studies at the local seminary, he was ordained a priest and became a member of the chapter of that diocese. Having come to Rome, Gregory XVI appointed him auditor of the nunciature in Vienna, then headed by Ludovico Altieri. In 1845 he was chosen as apostolic internuncio and extraordinary envoy to Rio de Janeiro, where he received from G. Garibaldi, by means of a letter that he forwarded to Rome, the offer to place the Italian legion at the disposal of Pius IX and the national cause. On 10 March 1848, upon his return from Brazil, the Pope appointed him as Cardinal Antonelli’s substitute in the Secretariat of State. After the end of the Roman republic, B. became, in 1849, extraordinary papal commissioner in the four legations. He restored tranquility to these provinces and, having been appointed pro-legate of Bologna, adopted various measures to provide work for the unemployed, in order to—

to promote commerce through the construction of new roads, to foster agriculture, and to restore artistic monuments, in particular the Villa of S. Michele in Bosco. Created titular archbishop of Thebes on 19 March 1852, he was appointed apostolic nuncio to the emperor of Brazil. Since plague was raging in that empire at that time, however, Pius IX entrusted B. with a mission to the United States, to settle certain differences that had arisen among North American Catholics and to deliver a very cordial letter from the Pope to the president of that republic. B. landed at New York on 30 June 1853, immediately continuing his journey to the federal capital, where he was received in audience by President Pierce and Secretary of State Marcy. After stopping in Baltimore and Philadelphia, B. arrived in New York. Meanwhile, an apostate priest, Gavazzi, had begun a fierce campaign of slander against B., falsely accusing him of having been cruel toward the population while he was serving as commissioner in the legations, and of being responsible for the death of Ugo Bassi, executed by the Austrians without the knowledge of the papal authorities or B. himself. A plot had even been formed to assassinate B., but one of the conspirators warned him of what was being plotted against his life. After visiting various dioceses, B. arrived in New Orleans in January 1854, from where he embarked for Europe. In 1856 he was appointed secretary of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide. Bishop of Viterbo and Toscanella from 18 March 1861, Pius IX created and proclaimed B. cardinal of the title of S. Maria sopra Minerva in the consistory of 27 September 1861.