Pietro MAFFI. — Cardinal, Archbishop of Pisa. Born at Corteolona (Pavia) on 12 Oct. 1858, died at Pisa on 17 March 1931. He pursued his studies at the Seminary of Pavia, where, shortly after his ordination to the priesthood (1881), he taught philosophy while also devoting himself with success to the physical sciences, especially astronomy, geodynamics, and meteorology. Proof of this is to be found in several publications; notable among them are: Nei cieli. Pagine di astronomia popolare (Como 1898; 5th ed., Turin 1928) and the Rivista di scienze fisiche e matematiche (1900–1912), which he founded and which was immediately received with great favour.
To his scholarly work he united a fruitful pastoral life. He followed his bishop, Monsignor Riboldi, as vicar general at Ravenna, who was later created cardinal (1901); in 1902 he was consecrated bishop and appointed auxiliary to the new archbishop, Monsignor Conforti; in 1903 he was promoted to the see of Pisa; in 1904 he was named director of the Vatican Observatory, which he helped to transform into one of the best equipped in Europe, and was entrusted with the task of preparing part of the celestial chart when this was divided among the various observatories of the two hemispheres; in 1907 he was created cardinal.
