Ferdinando d'Adda (27 August 1649 – 27 January 1719) was a Roman Catholic

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

, bishop and diplomat. As a member of the family of the counts of Adda, he was a kinsman of

Pope Innocent XI Pope Innocent XI ( la, Innocentius XI; it, Innocenzo XI; 16 May 1611 – 12 August 1689), born Benedetto Odescalchi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 September 1676 to his death on August 12, 1689. Poli ...

, who conferred upon him the titular abbacy of a famous abbey.

Biography

Ferdinando d'Adda was born to an ancient patrician family in Milan. He was educated at Bologna and Pavia. He served as Prefect of the

Congregation of Rites The Sacred Congregation of Rites was a congregation of the Roman Curia, erected on 22 January 1588 by Pope Sixtus V by '' Immensa Aeterni Dei''; it had its functions reassigned by Pope Paul VI on 8 May 1969. The Congregation was charged with the ...

. Having performed a purely formal duty in Madrid in 1681, Adda was sent by Innocent XI as Papal Nuncio in London during the reign of

James II James II may refer to: * James II of Avesnes (died c. 1205), knight of the Fourth Crusade * James II of Majorca (died 1311), Lord of Montpellier * James II of Aragon (1267–1327), King of Sicily * James II, Count of La Marche (1370–1438), King C ...

in November 1685, the '' Catholic Encyclopedia'' reports that he was charged with the delicate task of inducing the English King to intercede with Louis XIV (then quite inimical to the Holy See) in favour of the oppressed

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

of France. He was made titular Archbishop of

Amasia Amasia may refer to the following places: * Amasya, a city in Northern Turkey ** Amasya Province, which contains the city ** Amasea (titular see), the former Metropolitan Archbishopric with see there, now a Latin Catholic titular see * Amasia, Shir ...

, and was consecrated in the Royal Chapel of

St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Altho ...

, in a full Roman Catholic ceremony on 1 May 1687 by

Dominic Maguire Dominic Maguire O.P. (died 21 September 1707) was an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. A leading Jacobite in Ireland, he served as the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland from 1683 to 1707., ''The Episcopal Succession in En ...

Archbishop of Armagh In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...

, with John Leyburn, Titular Bishop of Adramyttium, and John O'Mollony, Bishop of Killaloe, serving as

co-consecrators 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, ...

. The King's decision at the ceremony to prostrate himself before d'Adda horrified his Protestant courtiers, who were in no way reassured by his explanation that he was kneeling to d'Adda as Archbishop, not as nuncio. During his residence in England he was often quite critical of the King's policies: he was one of the few Catholic observers who understood that the Trial of the Seven Bishops for seditious libel, (in that they had refused to republish the King's Declaration of Indulgence) would be a serious political mistake. He remarked "This matter seems very serious, and perhaps the most critical that has yet arisen in this reign. It could yet have more implications than are yet apparent."Kenyon, J.P ''Robert Spencer, Earl of Sunderland 1641–1702'' Gregg Revivals 1992 p.194 D'Adda was made Cardinal Priest of San Clemente by Pope Alexander VIII in 1690. In 1715, d'Adda was made

Cardinal Bishop of Albano Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

, and began a thorough restoration of

Albano Cathedral Albano Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Albano, ''Cattedrale di San Pancrazio'') is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Albano Laziale, in the province of Rome and the region of Lazio, Italy. It is the seat of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano. Th ...

, where his memorial records his works. He died in Rome in 1719 and is buried in the church of San Carlo ai Catinari.

Works

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Adda, Ferdinando D' 1649 births 1719 deaths Clergy from Milan 18th-century Italian cardinals Cardinal-bishops of Albano Diplomats of the Holy See 18th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Cardinals created by Pope Alexander VIII Apostolic Nuncios to Great Britain