FIRMIAN, LEOPOLD ERNST. — Cardinal, born at Trento on 22 Sept. 1708, died at Passau on 13 March 1783. Named bishop of Seckau, he was transferred to Passau by Clement XIII on 26 Sept. 1763. Clement XIV created him cardinal on 14 Dec. 1772. In 1776, he was alongside Cardinal Migazzi, archbishop of Vienna, in opposing the plan for ecclesiastical studies prepared by Rautenstrauch according to the principles of jurisdictionalism. During his stay in Vienna, Pius VI, at the request of Joseph II, personally bestowed the red hat upon F. and Bathiany in the Knights’ Hall of the imperial Hofburg on 19 Apr. 1782.
BIBL.: Pastor, XVI, V. INDIA.: F. Martin, s. V. in LTHK, IV, cols. 13–14; G. Soranzo, Peregrinus apostolicus. Lo spirito pubblico e il viaggio di Pio VI a Vienna. Milano 1937, pp. 117–128; 346 ff.