TOSTI, ANTONIO, - Cardinal, b. in Rome on 4 Oct. 1776, d. in Rome on 20 March 1866. Having exercised the priestly ministry with zeal in the Pia Unione di S. Paolo Apostolo among the ecclesiastics of Rome, he devoted himself, with success, to a diplomatic and an administrative career. Charged with affairs of the Holy See in Turin, he returned to Rome in 1834 to succeed Card. Brignole in the office of treasurer general, then equivalent to that of minister of Finance.
He demonstrated qualities of a wise organizer and had a principal part in the provisions issued by Gregory XVI for the reorganization of public finances, for the execution of important public works, for the growth of industry and commerce. Due to his initiative were the notification on the increase of the duty on woolen fabrics and the granting of prizes to the manufacturers of Rome and of the State; the publication of the collection of laws and provisions of public administration issued in the Pontifical State; the norms for the reform of the monetary system; the admission of the Jews of Rome to participate in the disbursements of subsidies of the Monte di Pietà; the regulation for the collection of taxes and other revenues pertaining to the Presidenza delle Ripe (interesting for the information relating to the taxes on boats that landed at the Porto di Ripetta and to the norms on fishing licenses); the regulation of internal discipline for the administration of the posts and its offices; that for the Casse Camerali; the norms for the execution of the regulation of the Secretariat for internal State affairs; the provisions directed at the repression of smuggling. He also had a very notable part in the institution of the Banca romana and of the Cassa di risparmio di Roma (1836), and acquired great merits toward the pontifical military navy.
Created cardinal and reserved in pectore by Gregory XVI in the Consistory of 12 Feb. 1838, he was published in that of 18 Feb. 1839, with the title of S. Pietro in Montorio; by the express wish of the Pontiff he continued in the office of treasurer general, from which he resigned at the beginning of the pontificate of Pius IX. In justification of the activity carried out he had published the Bilancio generale delle rendite e spese nel decennio dal 1835 al 1844 (Rome 1847).
A great lover of the arts and of artists, T. (who, among other things, was named by Pius IX librarian of the Holy Roman Church [1854], as successor of Angelo Mai), had restored the buildings of the Lateran, the churches of S. Pietro in Montorio, of Sts. Vito, Modesto and Crescenzia, of S. Francesco a Ripa and of S. Bonaventura al Palatino; he concerned himself intensely with the work of the Commission for the rebuilding of the basilica of St. Paul and secured for the Calcografia camerale, through the munificence of Gregory XVI (1839), the splendid collection of Piranesi's engravings owned by the Firmin Didot brothers of Paris. To his initiative are also due the construction of the Passeggiata di Ripetta, of the Palazzo delegatizio of Frosinone, of the Arsenal of Ancona. Particularly noteworthy is the work carried out by T. with regard to the Ospizio apostolico di S. Michele a Ripa Grande, so much so that of the beneficent institution, of which he had been named president by Pius VIII and visitor by Gregory XVI, he may rightly be considered the second founder. He indeed wished the internal church to be completely rebuilt through the work of Poletti; he reactivated the famous tapestry factory, the schools of wood carving, ornament, painting, sculpture, of copper engraving, cameos, medals; he set up the woolen mill and the dye works. In the same Ospizio he established his residence, remaining there until his death, and was in fact buried in the church itself. S. Michele thus became a true conservatory of arts and crafts among the best in Europe, and the related art exhibitions drew great crowds of Italian and foreign visitors.
He furthermore gave new life to the Accademia dei professori di musica under the invocation of St. Cecilia with its seat at S. Carlo a' Catinari, demonstrating lively concern for the spiritual life of musicians and for the greater advancement of sacred music. Among his writings should be remembered: Relaz. dell'origine e de' progressi dell'Ospizio Apostolico di S. Michele (Rome 1832); A Gregorio XVI. Epigrafi (s. n. t.), a precious collection of all the inscriptions celebrating the public works of that Pontiff.
Bibliography6 works
Mario de Camillis