MACCHI, VINCENZO. - Cardinal, b. at Capodimonte, diocese of Montefiascone, on 31 Aug. 1770, d. at Rome on 30 Sept. 1860. Attached to the nunciature of Lisbon, when the French invaded Portugal in 1808 he replaced the nuncio Lorenzo Caleppi as chargé d'affaires.
Elected in 1818 titular archbishop of Nisibis, he was apostolic nuncio to the Swiss Confederation, then, in Jan. 1820, nuncio in Paris, and in 1826 cardinal.
In 1828 he received the appointment as apostolic legate of Ravenna and in 1835 became president of the Congregation for the Review of Accounts and in the following year apostolic legate of Bologna, demonstrating in these offices a great sense of moderation and balance. He was furthermore prefect of the Congregation of the Council (1834) and from 1840 bishop of Palestrina, then prefect of the Signature of Justice from 1841, bishop of Porto, S. Rufina and Civitavecchia and subdean of the Sacred College (1844). Pius IX, in the first days of his pontificate, named him a member of a Commission intended to handle affairs of State.
On the death of Card. Micara (1847), he was bishop of Ostia and Velletri and dean of the Sacred College; at Ostia he took a great interest in the restoration of the famous castle and at Velletri he established evening schools, which he entrusted to the direction of the Doctrinarians, restored the Cathedral and erected the facade of the church of S. Lucia. He subsequently held the offices of datary of His Holiness and of Secretary of Apostolic Briefs. His tomb is at SS. Giovanni e Paolo.
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Mario de Camillis