FLANGINI, LUIGI. - Cardinal, b. in Venice on 26 July 1733, d. there on 29 Feb. 1804. He belonged to a most noble family and held important offices with activity and zeal. He was judge of the quarantia, "avogador de Comun", censor, senator, councillor, extraordinary corrector. In 1762, on the death of his wife Laura Maria Donato, he devoted himself to the service of the Holy See, and in 1777 he was appointed auditor of the Rota for Venice, and that was the first time the Venetian Republic availed itself of the privilege granted by Clement XIII of appointing an auditor in that tribunal.
Created cardinal by Pius VI in the Consistory of 30 Aug. 1789, he obtained the deaconry of Sts. Cosmas and Damian; ordained priest, he passed to the presbyteral order and was subsequently titular of St. Mark's and of St. Anastasia. In 1801 he was elected by Pius VII patriarch of Venice, but in his very brief episcopate he was unable, because of his frail health, to carry out any notable pastoral activity.
Endowed with a profound humanistic culture, he published numerous works, among which are remembered: Amnotazioni alla corona poetica di Quirino Telpasinio in lode della Repubblica di Venezia; Rime di Bernardo Capello con annotazioni; Orazione per l'esaltamento del dage Marco Foscarini; Apologia di Socrate scritta da Platone (trans. from the Greek, included in the Corso ragionato di letteratura greca of Melchiorre Cesarotti); Argonauti di Apollonio Radio (trans. in verse with notes).
Bibliography
Mario De Camillis