BOFONDI, GIUSEPPE. - Cardinal, of a patrician family in Forlì on 24 Oct. 1795, d. in Rome on 2 Dec. 1867, a learned and cultured man, entered the ecclesiastical career, devoting himself particularly to jurisprudence. He was dean of the Sacred Roman Rota when Pius IX, who esteemed him for the integrity of his character, his calm tenacity, and his moderate, gradual reformism, created him cardinal deacon with the title of S. Cesareo on 11 June 1847 and, in December, sent him to govern the troubled legation of Ravenna. On 18 Jan. 1848 he was called to succeed Ferretti as Secretary of State. In this office, rendered more difficult by the delicate moment, he demonstrated ability and temperance, winning liberal sympathies with measures intended to strengthen the papal militias, but at the same time frankly deploring in his circular of 28 Feb. the demonstrations against the religious Congregations. He was succeeded by Antonelli (10 March 1848), followed the Pope to Gaeta, and, after the restoration of the pontifical government, held important offices in the Congregation of Studies and in the presidency of the Census.
BOFONDI, GIUSEPPE
BIBL.: E. Pougeois, Histoire de Pie IX, son pontificat et son siècle, I, Paris 1877, p. 385; F. Cristofori, Storia dei cardinali, Rome 1888, p. 227; L. Jadin, s. V. in DHG, IX, cols. 401. Alberto M. Ghisalberti