Giandomenico Spinola (1580 – 11 August 1646) (also Giovanni Domenico Spinola)
Early life
Spinola was born in 1580 in
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...
. Though few records exist detailing his family background or education, he is listed as ''Questore'' (
commissioner) of the Pontifical Office of the Treasury in his home town during the reign of
Pope Paul V
Pope Paul V ( la, Paulus V; it, Paolo V) (17 September 1550 – 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death in January 1621. In 1611, he honored ...
.
Ecclesiastic career
Later Spinola moved to Rome where, under the guidance of
Archbishop of Genoa
The Archdiocese of Genoa ( la, Archidioecesis Ianuensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Erected in the 3rd century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133. The archdiocese of Ge ...
,
Antonmaria Sauli
Antonio Maria Sauli (sometimes Antonio Sauli) (1541–1623) was the Archbishop of Genoa and later a Roman Catholic Cardinal, serving as the dean of the College of Cardinals for the last three years of his life.
Sauli was born in Genoa. He was a ...
, he was appointed to a number of administrative church positions.
Spinola was sent to the
Archdiocese of Messina to act as administrator in 1625. Upon his return to Rome in 1626, he was elevated to the office of cardinal, with the
Basilica of San Clemente
The Basilica of Saint Clement ( it, Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano) is a Latin Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I located in Rome, Italy. Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: (1) ...
as his
titular church
In the Catholic Church, a titular church is a church in Rome that is assigned to a member of the clergy who is created a cardinal. These are Catholic churches in the city, within the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Rome, that serve as honorary des ...
. He was also named as Protector of his homeland, the
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the La ...
, becoming its official representative to the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...
.
In 1629 Spinola was also given the title of Cardinal Priest of the Church of
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, holding both until he gave up that of San Clemente on 17 August 1637. In November 1630 he was named the
Archbishop of Acerenza and Matera. He was
consecrated bishop by
Domenico de' Marini,
Archbishop of Genoa
The Archdiocese of Genoa ( la, Archidioecesis Ianuensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Erected in the 3rd century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133. The archdiocese of Ge ...
, with
Angelo Mascardi,
Bishop of Noli,
Pietro Francesco Costa,
Bishop of Albenga
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 ...
, and
Vincenzo Giovanni Spínola
Vincenzo is an Italian male given name, derived from the Latin name Vincentius (the verb ''vincere'' means to win or to conquer). Notable people with the name include:
Art
*Vincenzo Amato (born 1966), Italian actor and sculptor
* Vincenzo Bell ...
,
Bishop of Brugnato
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brugnato (Latin: ''Dioecesis Brugnatensis'') was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the city of Brugnato in the Province of La Spezia in the Italian region Liguria of Italy. On 25 November 1820, it was united with an ...
, serving as
co-consecrators.
He was transferred to the
episcopal see of
Luni-Sarzana on 26 April 1632, retaining the personal rank of archbishop. He was again transferred, this time to the
Diocese of Mazara del Vallo in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
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as of 1 December 1636, still retaining the rank of archbishop.
Between 1642 and 1643 Spinola also served as
Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals. He participated in the
papal conclave of 1644 that elected
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X ( la, Innocentius X; it, Innocenzo X; 6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death in Januar ...
.
Spinola died in Mazara in 1646, and was buried in the Chapel of San Gaetano in the
Cathedral of Mazara.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spinola, Giandomenico
1580 births
1646 deaths
16th-century Genoese people
17th-century Genoese people
17th-century Italian Roman Catholic archbishops
17th-century Italian cardinals
Cardinals created by Pope Urban VIII
Roman Catholic archbishops of Genoa
Burials in Sicily
Clergy from Genoa
17th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Sicily