FERRERO (Ferrerius), BONIFACIO. - Cardinal, of the great F. family of Biella, of the branch of the marquises of Romagnano, b. in 1476, d. in Rome in Jan. 1543. He held various abbeys, among them that of S. Benigno di Fruttuaria, where he procured for himself the right of mint. He was twice bishop of Ivrea, a see he resigned for that of Vercelli (1509 and 1536), in favor of his brothers Giovanni Stefano and Agostino. Created cardinal on 1 July 1517, he held other bishoprics and the legation of Bologna (1541).
Various members of this family governed the dioceses of Ivrea and Vercelli for more than a century: GIOVANNI STEFANO (b. in 1473, d. 3 Oct. 1520), brother of Bonifacio, was bishop of Vercelli in 1499 and of Bologna in 1502, the year in which he was made cardinal. He then passed to the see of Ivrea in 1509. FILIBERTO, nephew of the preceding (b. in 1500, d. in Rome on 13 Aug. 1549), obtained the see of Ivrea at only 18 years of age. He was twice nuncio to the king of France (1537 and 1540), and legate at Piacenza and at Avignon. Cardinal in 1549. His brother PIERRANCESCO (b. in 1500, d. in 1566), governed the dioceses of Vercelli from 1536 to 1561, the year in which he was created cardinal, after having been legate in Flanders with Carlo Carafa, and then nuncio at Venice (1560-1561). He took part in the Council of Trent. He resigned the see of Vercelli in favor of his nephew GIUDO (b. in 1537, d. in 1585), son of Maddalena Borromco, aunt of Carlo. He was nuncio at Venice and legate in Romagna. Cardinal in 1565. He left us an unpublished biography of Gregory XIII (cf. Pastor, IX, pp. 892-94). His vicar at Vercelli was his nephew CESARI CAMILLO (b. 13 May 1537, d. 21 Feb. 1610). He was bishop of Ivrea from 1581, where he celebrated various synods whose acts were published. The last of this family was GIOVANNI STEFANO II (b. in 1568, d. in 1611), nuncio at Prague from 1604 to 1607, who was bishop of Vercelli from 1599 to 1610.
Bibliography6 works
Renata Orzai Ausanda