JACOBINI, LODOVICO. - Cardinal, b. 6 Jan. 1832 at Genzano, d. 27 Feb. 1887 at Rome. Having begun his studies at the Seminary of Albano, he completed them in Rome and became an apprentice in the secretariat for Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Secretary of Propaganda for Eastern affairs, he was one of the undersecretaries of the Vatican Council. Archbishop of Thessalonica in partibus, he was appointed nuncio to Vienna in 1874, during a difficult period in relations between the Dual Monarchy and the Catholic Church, owing to the unilateral denunciation of the Concordat in 1870, followed four years later by the promulgation of three laws concerning the pre-eminence of the State over the Church, endowments, and State recognition of religious corporations. During his stay in the Habsburg capital, Nuncio J. also began fruitful diplomatic activity aimed at reaching a modus vivendi that would put an end to the Kulturkampf in Germany. This activity began in Sept. 1879, when J. had a thorough exchange of views with Bismarck, and continued in Nov. in discussions with Hübler, the chancellor’s delegate, and with the Prince of Reuss, the Prussian ambassador in Vienna. Created cardinal by Leo XIII on 19 Sept. 1879 and appointed Secretary of State in Oct. of the following year, he continued the policy of accommodation with Prussia and succeeded in bringing the Kulturkampf to an end.