Carlo Agostini

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Styles of Carlo Agostini


Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor
Posthumous style	none

Carlo Agostini (April 22, 1888—December 28, 1952) was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Patriarch of Venice from 1949 until his death, and died shortly after the announcement for his elevation to the cardinalate in 1952.

[edit] Biography

Born in San Martino di Lupari, Carlo Agostini studied at the seminary in Treviso, and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Andrea Longhin, OFM Cap, on September 24, 1910. He then furthered his studies in Rome at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and Pontifical Gregorian University until 1913. Agostini was a professor (1913-1925) and the rector (1925-1932) of the Treviso seminary, and was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness in 1925.

On January 30, 1932, he was appointed Bishop of Padua by Pope Pius XI. Agostini received his episcopal consecration on the following April 10 from Bishop Longhin, with Archbishop Elia dalla Costa and Bishop Eugenio Beccegato serving as co-consecrators. He was Apostolic Administrator of Treviso from March 8 to December 6, 1936, and later named Patriarch of Venice on February 5, 1949.

Pope Pius XII announced on November 29, 1952 that he would elevate Agostini and twenty-three others to the College of Cardinals. However, the Patriarch died, from Parkinson's disease^[1] at the age of 64, before the consistory could take place on January 12, 1953. Agostini was initially buried in S. Michele cemetery, but his remains were later transferred to the crypt of St Mark's Basilica in November 1957.

The unexpected vacancy in Venice opened the way for the elevation of Angelo Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII. In view of the overwhelming precedent of only cardinals being elected Pope, it can be argued that Roncalli would never have reached the papal throne had Agostini not died.