VANNUCELLI, SERAFINO. — Cardinal, born at Genazzano (diocese of Palestrina) on 26 Nov. 1834, died at Rome on 19 Aug. 1915.
Ordained priest in 1860, he was professor of canon and civil law at the Apollinare and of dogmatic theology at the Vatican Seminary. In 1864 he left for Mexico as secretary to the nuncio Meglia and witnessed all the events that led to the fall of that empire, returning to Rome after the execution of Maximilian (1867).
Sent as auditor to Munich, on 25 June 1869 he was elected titular archbishop of Nicaea and apostolic delegate to Peru, Ecuador, New Granada, Venezuela, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras. Transferred to Belgium (1875), he found himself facing the laicist claims of the liberal government presided over by Frère Orban, which culminated in the approval of the law introduced by the Minister of Public Instruction Van Humbeeck for the abolition of religious instruction in schools (1879). On that occasion the nuncio showed firmness and courage, and in the struggle he was a sure guide to the entire episcopate. The bitter disputes aroused by the approval of this law led to the rupture of diplomatic relations and the recall of the nuncio to Rome. Transferred in 1880 to Vienna, he continued the patient work begun by his predecessor Ludovico Jacobini and actively collaborated in the rapprochement of Germany with the Holy See.
On 24 March 1887 he was created cardinal by Leo XIII and subsequently held the offices of secretary of the Memorials (1891), prefect of the Congregations of the Index (1893) and of Bishops and Regulars (1896). In 1893 he was elected archbishop of Bologna but did not take possession of the see, having opted for the suburbicarian see of Frascati. Major penitentiary (1899) and secretary of the Congregation of the Holy Office (from 1902 to 1908), bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina and sub-dean of the Sacred College (1903), bishop of Ostia (1913) and dean.