Gioacchino de Gemmis (4 October 1746 - 12 December 1822) was a

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 ...

bishop 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 ...

archpriest The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogous ...

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...

and

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

of the

University of Altamura The University of Altamura ( it, Università degli Studi di Altamura) was a former university located in Altamura, Apulia, Kingdom of Naples. It was established in Altamura in 1747 by Charles III of Bourbon, following the idea of the archpriest of ...

. He's best known for his role in the so-called

Altamuran Revolution The Altamuran Revolution ( it, Rivoluzione di Altamura, also ''Rivoluzione altamurana'') was a three-month period of self-government of Italian town Altamura, right after the birth of the Parthenopean Republic (23 January 1799) which ousted the Bo ...

(1799), advocating peace and helping the refugees, who had fled Altamura after the battle with the

Sanfedisti Sanfedismo (from ''Santa Fede'', "Holy Faith" in Italian) was a popular anti- Jacobin movement, organized by Cardinal Fabrizio Ruffo, which mobilized peasants of the Kingdom of Naples against the Pro-French Parthenopaean Republic in 1799, its ai ...

, to be allowed in

Terlizzi Terlizzi ( Barese: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the region of Apulia in southern Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, lying to the west of the seaport of Bari on the Adriatic Sea, in the midst of a fertile plain. , its population was some 27, ...

Life

Gioacchino de Gemmis was the seventh of eight children of baron Tommaso de Gemmis and Francesca Bruni, belonging to the barons of Cannavalle, Gioacchino de Gemmis was initiated into the ecclesiastical career and took sacred orders in 1770. He moved to

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 ...

, where he graduated both in civil and canon law, was appointed in 1774 as archdeacon of the Terlizzi Cathedral and, in 1776, he was appointed as vicar of the diocese of Giovinazzo and Terlizzi. In 1783, he became archpriest of the

Altamura Cathedral Altamura Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Altamura, ''Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta''), dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Altamura, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, in south ...

. He became first bishop of Altamura, and during the period 1789–1818, he was also

prelate nullius A territorial prelate is, in Catholic usage, a prelate whose geographic jurisdiction, called territorial prelature, does not belong to any diocese and is considered a particular church. The territorial prelate is sometimes called a prelate ''nu ...

, after the nomination by

Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI ( it, Pio VI; born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to his death in August 1799. Pius VI condemned the French Revoluti ...

. He was also appointed as rector of the

, established in 1748 by his predecessor Marcello Papiniano Cusano, with the purpose of promoting, together with the teachings of his friend

Antonio Genovesi Antonio Genovesi (1 November 171322 September 1769) was an Italian writer on philosophy and political economy. Biography Son of Salvatore Genovese, a shoemaker, and Adriana Alfinito of San Mango, Antonio Genovesi was born in Castiglione, near ...

, the study of

natural sciences Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...

with a special focus on

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

. The university included courses ranging from economics and law to scientific subjects, with the help of the vicar

Vitangelo Bisceglia Vitangelo Bisceglia (30 November 1749 – 14 October 1822) was an Italian botanist, agronomist and professor. He taught inside the University of Altamura. Because of his being a polymath, he's been described as "an encyclopedic spirit, the honor ...

, who promoted in particular the study of

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

thanks to research conducted with

Vincenzo Petagna Vincenzo Petagna (Naples, 17 January 1734 – 6 October 1810) was an Italian biologist, physician and entomologist. He was appointed as director of the small botanical garden pertaining to the Monastery of Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto (associate ...

and

Michele Tenore Michele Tenore (5 May 1780 – 19 July 1861) was an Italian botanist active in Naples, Italy. Tenore studied at the University of Naples, receiving his medical degree in 1800. Then he was a friend of botanists Domenico Maria Leone Cirillo (1739– ...

. The reform of the

promoted by de Gemmis was intended to stimulate economic development by teaching young people the new science applied to production systems. Many students from neighboring cities attended the new courses of

, of

mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

, of

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

and

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

, with the help of academic and mathematician

Luca de Samuele Cagnazzi Luca de Samuele Cagnazzi (28 October 1764 – 26 September 1852) was an Italian archdeacon, scientist, mathematician, political economist. He also wrote a book about pedagogy and invented the tonograph. Life Born at Altamura, in what is no ...

. De Gemmis collected many books and founded a university library.

, recognizing his merits, appointed him as

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 an ...

of the Diocese of Listra in 1798. He also restored and embellished

, which he reconsecrated on 7 October of the same year, as written on the plaque. In 1799, during the so-called

, by risking his life, he went in person outside the city in order to talk to cardinal

Fabrizio Ruffo Fabrizio Dionigi Ruffo (16 September 1744 – 13 December 1827) was an Italian cardinal and politician, who led the popular anti-republican ''Sanfedismo'' movement (whose members were known as the ''Sanfedisti''). Biography Ruffo was born at ...

and persuade him to let Altamuran rioters flee; nonetheless

denied his request. Because of this, king Ferdinand IV of Naples suspended him from his ecclesiastical functions on the charge of having favored the republican regime. During

Joseph Bonaparte it, Giuseppe-Napoleone Buonaparte es, José Napoleón Bonaparte , house = Bonaparte , father = Carlo Buonaparte , mother = Letizia Ramolino , birth_date = 7 January 1768 , birth_place = Corte, Corsica, Republic of ...

's rule of the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...

, he was re-established and, in 1808, he promised to be loyal to the new king Joachim Murat. In 1818, he was promoted

of the

Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa The Italian Catholic Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa ( la, Dioecesis Melphiensis-Rapollensis-Venusina, it, Diocesi di Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa) is in Basilicata, southern Italy. In 1986 the historic Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla was united with the Dioce ...

, serving with wisdom and charity. He was decorated with the knight's cross of the

Kingdom of the Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( it, Regno delle Due Sicilie) was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1860. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by population and size in Italy before Italian unification, comprising Sicily and a ...

. He died in

on 12 December 1822 and he was buried inside the de Gemmis family chapel. Gioacchino de Gemmis 2

The Altamuran Revolution

Gioacchino de Gemmis distinguished himself for his authentic pastoral spirit and showed courage and unexpected mental openness. He always supported Altamuran people, first taking part in the planting ceremony of the Liberty Tree in the main square of the city (''piazza del Mercato'', today called ''piazza Duomo'') and then ordering a ''

Te Deum The "Te Deum" (, ; from its incipit, , ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to AD 387 authorship, but with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Chur ...

'' to be played that same evening inside

. During the clashes he went to Ruffo himself, asking in vain to forgive rioters and risking his life in doing this. Unlike what happened to Raffaele Vecchioni and the two engineers Vinci and Olivieri, Gioacchino de Gemmis was allowed to return. Being him from

, another of his greatest merits was helping the refugees who had fled Altamura on the night of 9 May 1799, after the fall of the city, to be allowed in

. bolognese-zecher, pag. 22

Episcopal genealogy

* Cardinal

Scipione Rebiba Scipione Rebiba (3 February 1504 – 23 July 1577) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, a protégé of Gian Pietro Carafa, who became Pope Paul IV. He held a variety of positions in the Church hierarchy, including some of the most sen ...

* Cardinal

Giulio Antonio Santori Giulio Antonio Santorio (6 June 1532 – 9 May 1602) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Biography Santorio was born in Caserta. He served as Archbishop of Santa Severina from 1566 until his death.

* Cardinal

Girolamo Bernerio Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. (1540 – 5 August 1611) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Biography Bernerio was born in Corregio. He served as Bishop of Ascoli Piceno from 1586 until his resignation in 1605. He was ...

, ''Ordine dei frati predicatori'' * Archbishop

Galeazzo Sanvitale Galeazzo Sanvitale (died 8 September 1622) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Bari-Canosa (1604–1606). ''(in Latin)''Ludovico Ludovisi * Cardinal

Luigi Caetani Luigi Caetani (July 1595 – 15 April 1642) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Biography Caetani was born in Piedimonte. Son of Filippo I Caetani, duke of Sermoneta, and Camilla Gaetani dell'Aquila d'Aragona, of the duke ...

* Cardinal

Ulderico Carpegna Ulderico Carpegna (24 June 1595 – 24 January 1679) was an Italian jurist and Cardinal. Biography Born at Scavolino, he was from a family of the Roman nobility, connected with the Montefeltro family. He became bishop of Gubbio

* Cardinal Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni * Pope Benedict XIII *

Pope Benedict XIV Pope Benedict XIV ( la, Benedictus XIV; it, Benedetto XIV; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 17 August 1740 to his death in May 1758.Antipope ...

Pope Clement XIII Pope Clement XIII ( la, Clemens XIII; it, Clemente XIII; 7 March 1693 – 2 February 1769), born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 July 1758 to his death in February 1769. ...

* Cardinal

Marcantonio Colonna Marcantonio II Colonna (sometimes spelled Marc'Antonio; 1535 – August 1, 1584), Duke of Tagliacozzo and Duke and Prince of Paliano, was a Roman aristocrat who served as a Viceroy of Sicily in the service of the Spanish Crown, Spanish gener ...

* Cardinal Giacinto Sigismondo Gerdil, ''Chierici regolari di San Paolo'' * Cardinal

Giulio Maria della Somaglia Giulio Maria della Somaglia (29 July 1744 – 2 April 1830) was an Italian cardinal. He was, in his later life — a staunch '' zelante'' cardinal who, as Secretary of State under Pope Leo XII, helped enforce an authoritarian regime in the ...

* Archbishop Camillo Cattaneo della Volta * Bishop Gioacchino de Gemmis

References

Bibliography

* Gaetano Valente ''Feudalesimo e feudatari. Terlizzi nel Settecento'', Mezzina, Molfetta 2004. * Ottavio Serena ''L'Università degli studi di Altamura''. * Luca de Samuele Cagnazzi, ''La mia vita''. * Ernesto Bosna ''Le scuole universitarie altamurane'', in ''Per una storia della scuola di Terra di Bari'', p. 101-102. * ''Cabreo de Gemmis'', Biblioteca Provinciale "de Gemmis", Bari. * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gemmis, Gioacchino de 1746 births 1822 deaths 18th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Academic staff of the University of Altamura 19th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops

Life

The Altamuran Revolution

Episcopal genealogy

See also

References

Bibliography