Pier Francesco Costa

Pier Francesco Costa (also Pietro Francesco Costa ; * 1544 in Albenga ; † December 26, 1625 ibid) was an Italian clergyman, papal diplomat and bishop of Savona .

Life

Origin and early years

He was born into a wealthy aristocratic family that had emerged from the merchant class. As the second-born son, he was destined for the clergy, especially since his uncle Francesco Costa was the abbot of the Benedictine monastery on the island of Gallinara . He obtained the academic degree of Doctor iuris utriusque and was ordained a priest . As his uncle's successor, he became abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Santi Mario e Martino on Gallinara in 1573 . Pier Francesco Costa went to Rome, where he served the Curia as a trainee lawyer at the Courts of Justice of the Apostolic Signature .

Mission in Malta

In November 1583 he was sent to Malta as Inquisitor and Apostolic Delegate on a delicate mission . The Bishop of Malta, Tomaso Gargallo , had just been removed from office and Pier Francesco Costa acted cautiously. He supported the request of the Convention of the Knights of Malta to elect the Bishop of Malta from their own ranks. At the end of March 1585 he left Malta.

Further life

Pope Sixtus V appointed him majordomo of the papal house in 1586 . On July 27, 1587, the same Pope appointed him Bishop of Savona. The enthronement took place on December 21 of the same year. Pier Francesco Costa became nuncio in the Duchy of Savoy in 1606 .

family

His nephew Pietro Francesco Costa of almost the same name was Bishop of Albenga from 1624 , with whom he is sometimes confused.

literature

• Enrico Stumpo:  COSTA, Pier Francesco. In: Alberto M. Ghisalberti (Ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 30:  Cosattini – Crispolto. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 1984.

Web links

• Entry on Pietro Francesco Costa on catholic-hierarchy.org ; accessed on June 19, 2020.