OPPIZZONI, CARLO. - Cardinal, b. in Milan on 15 April 1769, d. in Bologna on 13 April 1855. After completing his studies in his native city and being ordained a priest, he devoted himself fervently to parochial ministry: toward the end of 1801 he took part in the assemblies of Lyon, strenuously defending the rights of the Church.
Elected on 20 September 1802 Archbishop of Bologna, he was created and published cardinal by Pius VII in the Consistory of 26 March 1804. In 1809 he was one of the cardinals who refused to attend the marriage of Napoleon to Marie Louise and for this reason was relegated to Vincennes, where he remained until 1813. Having returned to Bologna, he was welcomed triumphantly by the population, and in his long episcopate of fifty-three years he left lasting traces of tireless apostolate and of rare gifts of government. He consecrated the high altar of the church of the Madonna di S. Luca, reestablished the characteristic feast of the "addobbi," also called "decennale" because it was celebrated with great solemnity every ten years in turn by each parish, took every care in the formation of the clergy, and as archchancellor of the University gave new life to the ancient Studium, establishing the teaching of political economy, natural history and agriculture.
Legate a latere for the four Legations from 21 March to 31 May 1831, in a particularly delicate period, he carried out political action inspired by great serenity and a sagacious and enlightened legislative work. In the events of 1848 he showed great prudence and at every moment courageously defended his diocesans. On 16 May 1849, the last day of the Bolognese resistance against the Austrians besieging the city, the ailing cardinal set out, after two unheeded legations, for the camp of General Wimpfen together with Senator Zanolini, and succeeded in obtaining honorable conditions of surrender. He died leaving the poor as his heirs and directing that no eulogy of his life be made.
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Mario de Camilla