Pompeo Zambeccari (1518–1571) was

Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal The Apostolic Nunciature to the Republic of Portugal is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Portugal. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. For ...

from 1550 to 1553, and served also as Bishop of Valva and Sulmona from 1547 to 1571.

Life

Pompeo Zambeccari was born in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

in 1518. He was given the

tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...

(and so entered in the clergy) at the age of 12; and, supported by the

Colonna family The House of Colonna, also known as ''Sciarrillo'' or ''Sciarra'', is an Italian noble family, forming part of the papal nobility. It was powerful in Middle Ages, medieval and Roman Renaissance, Renaissance Rome, supplying one pope (Pope Martin ...

, in 1531 he was granted the incomes of the Abbey of

Santo Spirito d'Ocre The Abbey of Santo Spirito d'Ocre (Italian: ''Monastero di Santo Spirito d'Ocre'') was a Cistercian monastery located in Ocre, Province of L'Aquila, Italy. History The fortified monastery was built in 1226 on an ancient religious building, existi ...

and later of the Abbey of Santa Maria di Bominaco. On 24 October 1541 he completed his studies earning a

doctorate in utroque iure A doctor of both laws, from the Latin ''doctor utriusque juris'', or ''juris utriusque doctor'', or ''doctor juris utriusque'' ("doctor of both laws") (abbreviations include: JUD, IUD, DUJ, JUDr., DUI, DJU, Dr.iur.utr., Dr.jur.utr., DIU, UJD a ...

at the

University of Bologna The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continuo ...

, and he moved to

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 ...

. In Rome, Zambeccari undertook

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

studies in Law at the ''Archiginnasio Romano'' (as it was called at the time

La Sapienza University The Sapienza University of Rome ( it, Sapienza – Università di Roma), also called simply Sapienza or the University of Rome, and formally the Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", is a public research university located in Rome, Ita ...

). He joined the Accademia Romana, where he met and was estimated by the

humanists Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanis ...

of the town. In the meantime he entered in the service of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, nephew of

Pope Paul III Pope Paul III ( la, Paulus III; it, Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death in November 1549. He came to ...

, and because of that connection he was appointed deputy of the

Farfa Abbey Farfa Abbey ( it, Abbazia di Farfa) is a territorial abbey in northern Lazio, central Italy. In the Middle Ages it was one of the richest and most famous abbeys in Italy. It belongs to the Benedictine Order and is located about from Rome, in ...

and commander of the church of

Santo Spirito in Sassia Church of the Holy Spirit in the Saxon District (Italian: ''La chiesa di Santo Spirito in Sassia'') is a 12th-century titular church in Rome, Italy. It is in '' Borgo Santo Spirito'', a street which got its name from the church, placed in the sou ...

in Rome. On 20 June 1536 he was appointed

Protonotary apostolic In the Roman Catholic Church, protonotary apostolic (PA; Latin: ''protonotarius apostolicus'') is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the pop ...

. On 1 July 1547 he was appointed Bishop of Valva and Sulmona. The

episcopal consecration A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...

followed on 3 April 1548 in the church of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in

by the hands of Cardinal

Giovanni Morone Giovanni Morone (or Moroni) (25 January 1509 – 1 December 1580) was an Italian cardinal. He was named Bishop of Modena in 1529 and was created Cardinal in 1542 by Pope Paul III. As a cardinal, he resided in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace ...

. In March 1550 Pompeo Zambeccari was appointed by

Pope Julius III Pope Julius III ( la, Iulius PP. III; it, Giulio III; 10 September 1487 – 23 March 1555), born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 February 1550 to his death in March 155 ...

the new

, probably without having received detailed instructions. All his nunciature was marked by the lack of a true interest of Rome for the affairs of Portugal. In Portugal Pompeo was interested in the process of

beatification Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...

Gonçalo de Amarante Gundisalvus of Amarante ( pt, Gonçalo de Amarante; 1187 - 10 January 1259) was a Portuguese Catholic priest and a professed member from the Order of Preachers. He became a Dominican friar and hermit after his return from a long pilgrimage that ...

. In spring 1552 Pompeo had meetings with king

John III of Portugal John III ( pt, João III ; 7 June 1502 – 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious (Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1521 until his death in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the thi ...

in order to apply in Portugal the decrees of the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trento, Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italian Peninsula, Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation ...

. In 1553, the pope sent Giovanni Francesco Mazza di Canobio to offer the title of

Apostolic legate 300px, A woodcut showing Henry II of England greeting the pope's legate. A papal legate or apostolic legate (from the ancient Roman title ''legatus'') is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic ...

of Portugal to Cardinal Henry of Portugal, the brother of the king. Pompeo Zambeccari therefore left the Portugal on 25 November 1553, and on 16 September 1554 he returned to his diocese in Sulmona. In the following years, Pompeo lived for long periods in Rome, despite the requirement issued by the

that bishop should live in his diocese. In Rome Pompeo renovated his family palace nearby the Basilica of the Santi Apostoli; the renovation was so impressive that in January 1554 Pope Julius III blamed him because Pompeo's palace was even more majestic than the ones of the most important Cardinals. Pompeo Zambeccari arrived in

Trento Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...

on 17 January 1562 to attend the last session of the

. He later returned to

Sulmona Sulmona ( nap, label= Abruzzese, Sulmóne; la, Sulmo; grc, Σουλμῶν, Soulmôn) is a city and ''comune'' of the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy. It is located in the Valle Peligna, a plain once occupied by a lake that disappeared in ...

where he renovated the Episcopal Palace. He had an illegitimate son, named Lepido. He died in

l'Aquila L'Aquila ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of both the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 70,967 inhabitants. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valle ...

on 8 August 1571 and was buried in his Abbey of Santo Spirito d'Ocre, notwithstanding he had prepared for himself a tomb in his family chapel in Basilica of the Santi Apostoli in Rome.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zambeccari, Pompeo 1518 births 1571 deaths Clergy from Bologna University of Bologna alumni 16th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Apostolic Nuncios to Portugal Participants in the Council of Trent Diplomats from Bologna