COLLOREDO, LEANDRO di. - Cardinal, b. of a noble family at Colloredo di Montalbano in Friuli in 1639. Leaving his family early in order to devote himself to his spiritual and cultural formation under the guidance of a relative who was governor at Pesaro and Urbino, he never returned to his homeland and, having gone to Rome, entered at the age of eighteen the Oratorians of the Chiesa Nuova. He perfected his studies and, after receiving Holy Orders (1663), devoted himself there to the sacred ministry and also served as librarian of the Vallicelliana.
His virtues brought him to the attention of Innocenzo XI, who employed him in various commissions and congregations and would have wished to send him as archbishop to Avignone. He was able to avoid that honor in 1685; he was created cardinal on 2 Sept. 1686, and gave an example of austerity and independence, especially in his relations with France. In 1687 he was appointed major penitentiary and attended Innocenzo XI on his deathbed. On 11 Jan. 1693 he was charged with the canonical visitation of the Roman clergy. In the three successive Conclaves (of Alessandro VIII, Innocenzo XII, Clemente XI) he aligned himself with the group of the zelanti. He corresponded with Mabillon. D. in Rome on 11 Jan. 1709.