Pietro Francesco Contarini

Pietro Francesco Contarini (* 1502 in Venice ; † December 25, 1555 there ) was an Italian Catholic patriarch .

Contarini coat of arms

biography

Pietro Francesco was probably born in Venice in 1502 as the son of Taddeo di Nicolò, from the branch of the Contarini dai SS. Apostoli , and Maria Vendramin di Leonardo. He was the third of four brothers (Gianandrea, Girolamo and Dario), his sister Isabella married Marco da Molin di Alvise in 1522.

In keeping with the spirit of the times, Contarini had a love of physics and natural sciences, mathematics, astronomy, music, architecture, botany, medicine and an interest in both contemporary and classical languages.

He made a very late decision to put his knowledge to the service of the republic and to accept public office. Contarini was immediately elected to the delicate office of Avogadore di Comun for the term of office from 1547 to 1549 and reappointed to the same office the following year, although his rigor had pushed through many interests.

Then, in April 1551, Contarini was elected reformer of the Studio di Padua , a position in which he sought to improve the level of teaching of the classical languages ​​by recruiting new teachers and offering them higher salaries. From 1552 to 1553 he was the finance governor. In January 1554 he was elected to the prestigious office of censor and at the same time appointed to the commission of five nobles charged with investigating the work of the late Doge Trevisan and revising the law. He held the office of censor when the Senate decided on August 21, 1554 to elect him to the patriarchate as a layman after the turbulent experiences with Gerolamo Querini . In the following week he received all necessary minor and major ordinations , including episcopal ordination.

He had a reputation for absolute morality and complete freedom from power games and partisan interests, and therefore appeared as the ideal man to promote the renewal of the Venetian clergy without undermining the legal prerogatives of the republic.

However, this hope was disappointed. When he solemnly took possession of the patriarchy on October 7, 1554, he was already seriously weakened by a stomach disease. Without being able to show a significant pastoral act, he died on December 25, 1555 in Venice.

literature

• Alessandro Orsoni: Cronologia storica dei vescovi olivolensi, detti dappoi castellani e successivi patriarchi di Venezia . Felice, Venice 1828 (Italian, Digitale-sammlungen.de ).

Web links

• Patriarch Pietro Francesco Contarini † . Catholic Hierarchy.
• Renzo Derosas:  CONTARINI, Pietro Francesco. In: Alberto M. Ghisalberti (Ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 28:  Conforto-Cordero. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 1983.

predecessor	Office	successor
Gerolamo Querini	Patriarch of Venice August 27, 1554 - December 25, 1555	Vincenzo Diedo