GHINUCCI, GIROLAMO. - Cardinal, born in Siena of a patrician family, he held various offices in the Roman Curia: he was a cleric and auditor of the Apostolic Chamber, prefect of the Signatura of Briefs, secretary of Julius II at the Lateran Council (1512). He was bishop of Ascoli Piceno (1512-18).

A man of intellect, of great authority and consummate prudence, he received many delicate assignments. Leo X entrusted him with the first inquiries into Luther, against whom G., assisted by Prierias, initiated the proceedings. Apostolic nuncio to Henry VIII of England, he enjoyed the King's confidence, who conferred on him the bishopric of Worcester (1522-35) and kept him for three years as his orator at the court of Spain. On 21 May 1535 he was created cardinal deacon by Paul III with the title of St. Balbina. He was a reviser of apostolic letters for the approval of the Society of Jesus; he was a member of the commission charged with drafting the bull for the opening of the Council of Trent, and of those for the reform of the Roman Curia and of the Church. He was one of the eight cardinals whom Paul III deputed to the affairs of the Council of Trent. Legate a latere (1538) to Charles V and Francis I, he served, in the Truce of Nice, as intermediary between the Pope and the French King. In 1538 he was made administrator of the diocese of Tropea, and in 1541, of that of Cavaillon. He died in Rome on July 3, 1541. He is buried in St. Clement's.

Bibliography7 works

BIBL.: Ciconius, Vitae et res gestae pontificum Romanorum et S.R.E. cardinalium, III, Rome 1677, pp. 369-70; L. Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali, IV, ibid. 1793, pp. 147-48; P. Kalkoff, Forschungen zu Luthers röm. Prozess, ibid. 1905, p. 30 ff.; Pastor, IV-V, see index; P. Tacchi Venturi, Storia della Compagnia di Gesù in Italia, II, ibid. 1922, p. 302 ff.; G. Constant, La réforme en Angleterre, I, Paris 1930, passim; H. Jedin, Storia del Concilio di Trento, I, Italian trans., Brescia 1949, see index.

Angelo Ferrari

@incollection{ec6_ghinucci_girolamo, author = {Ferrari, Angelo}, title = {Ghinucci, girolamo}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {301--302}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/ghinucci-girolamo} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

Ghinucci, Girolamo

About this entry