Romilli, Bartolomeo Carlo

ROMILLI, BARTOLOMEO CARLO. - Archbishop b. at Bergamo on 14 March 1795, d. at Milan on 7 May 1859. Appointed in 1838 parish priest of Trescorre, he distinguished himself by his spirit of charity and pastoral zeal, gifts that he confirmed during his brief episcopate at Cremona, of which he was elected bishop on 19 Jan. 1845.

Promoted by Pius IX to Archbishop of Milan on the designation of Emperor Ferdinand I, on 14 June 1846, his appointment was received with overwhelming enthusiasm, due also to the fact that for twenty-eight years the Ambrosian Church had been governed by the Austrian cardinal Gaysruck. The entry of Archbishop R., which took place on the following 4 Sept., gave rise to scenes of ardent Italian patriotism, which were truly like a prelude to the Milanese Forty-Eight. But R., a man of study and piety, did not let himself be overcome by the political events that followed and, even amid enormous difficulties, among which the strong contrasts and divisions of the clergy must be particularly noted, carried out a notable pastoral work: he completed the sacred visitation, established the Oblates in the seminaries, multiplied the Conferences of St. Vincent de Paul, protected the religious Orders, safeguarded the Ambrosian rite, reorganized the curial Archive and gave every support to the foundation of the Institute for Foreign Missions.

Mario de Camillo