Lelio Biscia (15 June 1575 – 19 November 1638) was an

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cardinal.

Early life

Biscia was born on 15 June 1575 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 ...

, the second son of Bernardino Biscia and Vittoria Scapucci. Biscia's father was a minor

noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...

and a consistorial lawyer. Biscia followed his father and received legal education before becoming a consistorial lawyer himself at the age of 20.''Lelio Biscia''
by S. Miranda (

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Miami-Dade County. Founded in 1965, the school opened its doors to students in 1972. FIU has grown to become the third-largest university in Florid ...

, last updated May 2012)

Ecclesiastic career

He became a

referendary Referendary is the English form of a number of administrative positions, of various rank, in chanceries and other official organizations in Europe. Pre-modern history The office of ' (plural: ', from the Latin ', "I inform") existed at the Byzan ...

of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace and in 1600 he purchased a position as cleric to the Apostolic Chamber. He was appointed governor of

Civitavecchia Civitavecchia (; meaning "ancient town") is a city and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located west-north-west of Rome. The harbour is formed by two pier ...

for a year, between 1605 and 1606 and then again between 1609 and 1610. Soon after he was appointed dean of the Apostolic Chamber. Biscia was known as a great collector of books and manuscripts. In 1622, he employed theologian Leo Allatius to curate his personal library, considered to have been one of the most extensive of its day. Allatius later became Vatican librarian. He was also a patron of mathematician and scientist

Benedetto Castelli Benedetto Castelli (1578 – 9 April 1643), born Antonio Castelli, was an Italian mathematician. Benedetto was his name in religion on entering the Benedictine Order in 1595. Life Born in Brescia, Castelli studied at the University of Padua and ...

Cardinalate

Biscia was elevated to cardinal by Pope Urban VIII on 19 January 1626 and was appointed cardinal-deacon of the church of Santi Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia the following month. In 1633 he was appointed cardinal-deacon of the church of

Santa Maria in Cosmedin The Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin or ''de Schola Graeca'') is a minor basilica church in Rome, Italy. It is located in the rione of Ripa. History According to Byzantine historian Andrew Ekonom ...

and then in 1637 he was appointed cardinal-priest of

Santa Maria del Popolo it, Basilica Parrocchiale Santa Maria del Popolo , image = 20140803 Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo Rome 0191.jpg , caption = The church from Piazza del Popolo , coordinates = , image_size ...

. He died in Rome on 19 November 1638 after a week spent suffering severe

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Biscia, Lelio 1575 births 1638 deaths Cardinals created by Pope Urban VIII