Ferdinand de Croy

Ferdinand de Croÿ (born May 4, 1867 at Le Rœulx Castle , Belgium; † August 8, 1958 , in Leuven ) was a Prussian officer, Catholic priest and papal diplomat.

ancestry

Ferdinand de Croÿ came from the Belgian branch of the noble family de Croÿ and was the son of Juste Marie Fernand Prince de Croÿ (1824-1908), founder of the branch to Rumillies near Tournai and his wife Countess Marie von Ursel (1833-1885), one Sister of Duke Joseph d'Ursel . Marie Sophie d'Ursel (1851–1932), a sister of his mother, had married the Saxon count Karl Heinrich Wolf Wilhelm Franz von Schönburg-Glauchau (1832–1898) and raised Joachim von Schönburg-Glauchau (1873–1943) , whose Son from first marriage. This in turn was the brother-in-law of the Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este .

Life

Following the traditions of his family, Ferdinand de Croÿ was chosen by his parents for the military profession and joined the Prussian army . There he was promoted to lieutenant , but left the military because he felt called to the priesthood. He went to Rome , studied theology and was ordained a priest there on April 1, 1893; He celebrated his primary mass in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore , which was followed by a private audience with Pope Leo XIII. connected. This appointed him the real secret chamberlain , in which position he remained until 1899. He belonged to the papal family and was one of four personal chamberlains of the Pope, one of whom accompanied him at all times when he was outside his private chambers, for example for audiences, walks or similar occasions. During that time he traveled a. a. 1896 with the apostolic delegation for the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and in 1897 brought the cardinal's hat to the Archbishop of Rouen , Guillaume-Marie-Romain Sourrieu , where he was appointed officer of the French Legion of Honor .

In 1899, Prince Ferdinand de Croÿ moved to the Apostolic Nunciature Vienna as Conseiller , where he worked under Archbishop Emidio Taliani . In 1903 de Croÿ returned to Rome and was promoted to Apostolic Protonotary . In 1905 the nobleman went to his homeland and became dean of the Waltrudis collegiate church in Mons, Belgium . In this office he remained until 1946; During the two German occupations, he made a lasting contribution to the civilian population. In 1925 the clergyman delivered on behalf of Pope Pius XI. the Golden Rose to Queen Elisabeth of Belgium , a princess from the Wittelsbach family .

Inscription plaque on the inheritance of the de Croÿ family, in the pilgrimage church of Notre-Dame de Bon-Vouloir in Havré

Prince Ferdinand de Croÿ lived in Leuven from 1946, where he died in 1958. He was buried in his family's hereditary funeral, in the pilgrimage church of Notre-Dame de Bon-Vouloir in Havré near Mons.

A photo from 1899 shows the prelate as holder of the Austrian Order of the Iron Crown, 2nd class (neck decoration).

His cousin Léon Léopold d'Ursel was Belgian ambassador to the Holy See from 1919 to 1921 .

literature

Austrian Leo Society : The Catholic Church of Our Time and its Servants in Word and Image , Volume 1, 1899, p. 283 (with photo)

Web links

Individual evidence

personal data
SURNAME	Croÿ, Ferdinand de
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Prussian officer, Catholic priest and papal diplomat
DATE OF BIRTH	May 4, 1867
PLACE OF BIRTH	at Le Rœulx Castle , Belgium
DATE OF DEATH	August 8, 1958
Place of death	Lions

[1] Genealogical website on Marie Sophie d'Ursel and her family

[2] Digitalscan Liechtensteiner Volksblatt, No. 43, Vaduz, October 27, 1893

[3] Illustrated website for the Church of Notre-Dame de Bon-Vouloir in Havré