Marcellus II, Pope

MARCELLO II, PAPA. – Born at Montepulciano on 6 May 1501, died at Rome on 1 May 1555. Son of Ricciardo Cervini, a writer in the Apostolic Penitentiary under Innocent VIII, he pursued his studies at Siena.

He was then sent to Rome to complete them, and Clement VII entrusted him with carrying out the calendar reform that his father Ricciardo had begun under Leo X; the work was completed in 1525. The plague of 1526 caused M. to be recalled to his family, and the War of the League of Cognac prevented him, for the time being, from returning to Rome. A fervent student of the humanities, M. translated Cicero’s De amicitia into Italian, and Euclid and other Greek authors into Latin; already during that first Roman sojourn he had made many friends among the scholars and scientists of the time, with whom he maintained cordial relations throughout his life. Having moved to Rome again in 1531, he remained there for a year, received with particular benevolence by Cardinal Farnese. After his election to the papacy, the latter summoned him to his side and entrusted him with the education of his nephew, the young Cardinal Alessandro.

When in 1538 Paul III assigned the direction of affairs of state to the cardinal-nephew, M., as his first secretary, exercised a role of primary importance in papal policy. In 1539 M. accompanied Cardinal Alessandro on his mission to the imperial court. In the same year the Pope assigned him the administration of the bishopric of Nicastro, which the following year he exchanged for that of Reggio Emilia. On 10 Dec. 1539 M. was appointed cardinal, with the title of S. Croce in Gerusalemme. M. remained in Brussels until Sept. 1540. In his capacity as bishop, M. carried out an intense reforming activity, and in his report on the affairs of Germany he identified the decline of ecclesiastical morals as the principal cause of the Germans’ estrangement from the Church. In 1541 he accompanied the Pope to the meeting at Lucca with Charles V, and two years later he was sent as a legate to the Emperor. In 1544 he once again changed his episcopal see, moving from Reggio to Gubbio. In 1545 he was one of the three papal legates to the Council of Trent, where he strenuously opposed the supporters of the superiority of the Council over the Pope and played a leading role in doctrinal matters. At Trent M. was also among the most energetic opponents of the Emperor’s proposals concerning the matters to be discussed and the order of the proceedings, resisting both blandishments and threats; this later earned him, from Charles V, the nominal exclusion at the Conclave that followed the death of Paul III. In 1548 Paul III charged him with reorganizing the Vatican Library, of which Julius III subsequently appointed him librarian for life. A member of the Roman Congregation of the Inquisition under Paul III and Julius III, M. was elected by the latter as president of the Commission for ecclesiastical reform; but, having openly disapproved of the Pope’s nepotistic policy, he had to withdraw to Gubbio. On 10 Apr. 1555 M. was elected pope.

During his very brief pontificate, M. demonstrated his firm intention of rigorously implementing those reforming principles that had guided his activity as a prelate. He prohibited the costly festivities customarily held on the occasion of papal elections, postponed the examination of all petitions for privileges and graces, limited the number of members of his household and reduced their emoluments, established extremely strict rules for the conferral of ecclesiastical offices, and ordered that justice be administered impartially and without outside interference. To eliminate any suspicion of nepotism, he forbade his relatives to go to Rome or reside there; he also resolved to promulgate a bull imposing severe penalties on anyone who alienated ecclesiastical property in favor of relatives. During the War of Siena he attempted to carry out peacemaking efforts, refusing military aid to the besieged and advising them to cease their useless resistance, while urging Cosimo I to treat them with leniency. His sudden death prevented M. from continuing that reforming action which he regarded as an indispensable obligation for any pontiff.

During the ceremonies of Holy Week, M., who since the time of the Council had been convinced of the need to reform sacred music, had indignantly deplored the character of the chants that had accompanied the celebration of Good Friday. Palestrina, who was one of the singers, was thereby prompted to compose a Mass which the Pope’s death prevented him from presenting to him and which, because of these circumstances, was later entitled Missa papae Marcelli.

(phot. Alinari)

MARCELLO II, papa – Portrait of Cardinal Cervini, later M. II, attributed to Pontormo – Rome, Galleria Borghese.