Alessandro Bichi (30 September 1596 – 25 May 1657) was an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Cardinal and papal nuncio to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Biography

Bichi was born in

Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centur ...

in 1596, the son of Vincenzo Bichi and nephew of Cardinal

Metello Bichi Metello Bichi (1541–1619) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 18 Feb 1596, he was consecrated bishop by Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici, Archbishop of Florence, with Matteo Sanminiato, Archbishop of Chieti, and Cristóbal Robuster ...

. At an early age he became ''Lieutenant of the Auditor'' of the Apostolic Chamber during the pontificate of Pope Urban VIII and was then appointed ''Referendary of the Tribunals'' of the Apostolic Signatura of Justice and of Grace. Bichi was elected

Bishop of Isola The Diocese of Isola was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy, located in Isola di Capo Rizzuto, Crotone, Reggio Calabria in the ecclesiastical province of Santa Severina.Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

as papal nuncio. In 1630 he became nuncio to

and on 9 September 1630 he was appointed Bishop of Carpentras. He was elevated to Cardinal in 1633 and was made Cardinal-Priest of Santa Sabina Carpentras - Palais de Justice 1

In 1640 Alessadro Bichi made build by the Avignon architect François Royers de la Valfenière the new episcopal palace of Carpentras, which in 1801 became the Courthouse of the town. In 1644, Pope Urban VIII died and the

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals, or more formally the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. its current membership is , of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals are app ...

came together in

conclave A papal conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a bishop of Rome, also known as the pope. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. Co ...

to elected a new

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

. As nuncio to France, Bichi naturally sided with the Cardinals of the French delegation led by

Antonio Barberini Antonio Barberini (5 August 1607 – 3 August 1671) was an Italian Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Reims, military leader, patron of the arts and a prominent member of the House of Barberini. As one of the cardinal-nephews of Pope Urban VIII ...

. Bichi participated in the conclave of 1655 which elected Pope Alexander VII. Bichi, who was already at odds with Innocent's powerful sister-in-law

Olimpia Maidalchini Olimpia Maidalchini Pamphilj (26 May 1591 – 27 September 1657), (also spelled Pamphili and known as Olimpia Pamphili), was the sister-in-law of Pope Innocent X (Pamphili). She was perceived by her contemporaries as having influence regarding pap ...

, was said to have exclaimed, ''"We will elect a female pope"''. He died on 25 May 1657 in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

and he was buried in the Basilica di Santa Sabina..

Episcopal succession

While bishop, he was the

principal consecrator A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop. The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, ...

of: * Jean de Sponde (bishop),

Titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox ...

of ''Megara'' and Coadjutor Bishop of Pamiers (1634); * Cristoforo Tolomei,

Bishop of Sovana The Catholic Diocese of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello ( la, Dioecesis Pitilianensis-Soanensis-Urbetelliensis) is a Latin suffragan see in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino, in Tusc ...

(1637); *

Giovanni Spennazzi Giovanni Spennazzi (1597–1658) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Pienza (1637–1658). ''(in Latin)'' Biography Giovanni Spennazzi was born in 1597 in Siena, Italy. On 5 October 1637, he was appointed during the papacy of P ...

, Bishop of Pienza (1637); * Francesco Romolo Mileti,

Bishop of Segni A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

(1640); and * Annibale Bentivoglio,

Titular Archbishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

of ''Thebae'' and Apostolic Nuncio to Florence (1645).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bichi, Alessandro 1596 births 1657 deaths 17th-century Italian cardinals People from Siena Cardinals created by Pope Urban VIII Apostolic Nuncios to France Apostolic Nuncios to the Kingdom of Naples