Michele di Pietro

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Styles of Michele Cardinal di Pietro
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	Albano Porto-Santa-Rufina (suburbicarian see)

His Most Reverend Eminence Michele Cardinal di Pietro J.U.D. (18 January 1747 - 2 July 1821) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and was former Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, Prefect of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide and uncle of Camillo Cardinal di Pietro.

Michele di Pietro was born in Albano, outside Rome. He was educated at the Seminary of Albano, and the La Sapienza University in Rome where he received a doctorate utroque iuris (in both canon and civil law) on 4 June 1768.

[edit] Priesthood

He was ordained on 28 October 1771. He served as a Professor of utroque iure at the University of Rome and was Lector of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He also served as a consultor of the Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition and of the Congregation of the Index. It was around this time he was created Privy chamberlain of His Holiness.

[edit] Episcopate

He was appointed as titular bishop of Isauriopoli on 21 February 1794 by Pope Pius VI. He was consecrated three days later in Frascati, by Henry Benedict Mary Cardinal Stuart, Duke of York. He served as Apostolic delegate of Rome while there was no Vicar-General for 1798. He was promoted to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem on 22 December 1800.

[edit] Cardinalate

He was created and proclaimed Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Via but reserved in pectore in the consistory of 23 February 1801. It was published in the consistory of 9 August 1802. He was appointed as Prefect of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide May 24, 1805, in addition to his duties in Jerusalem. He held the post until 20 May 1814. He was taken to France together with Ercole Cardinal Consalvi in December 1809 and banished to Semur for not attending Napoleon's wedding with Maria Louise. He was imprisoned in the fortress of Vincennes at the end of 1810 for sending the papal order to the clergy of Paris not to recognise Jean-Siffrein Maury as Archbishop of Paris. He was appointed as Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary ad interim in 1811 holding the post until 1814. He was freed in January 1813, was arrested again in April. He was considered responsible, together with Bartolomeo Pacca, for Pope Pius VII's retraction of his agreement with Napoleon. One of the most distinguished "black cardinals" (prohibited by Napoleon to wear red cardinalitial habit). He was made full Major Penitentiary in 1814. He opted for the order of bishops and the suburbicarian see of Albano in 1816. He was appointed as Prefect of the Congregation of the Index in 1818. Opted for the suburbicarian see of Porto e Santa Rufina in 1820. He died in July 1821. His funeral took place on 5 July 1821 and is buried in the cathedral of Albano.

Preceded by Georgius Maria Lascaris	Patriarch of Jerusalem 22 December 1800–2 July 1821	Succeeded by Francesco Maria Fenzi
Preceded by Antonio Cardinal Dugnani	Prefect of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide 24 May 1805–20 May 1814	Succeeded by Lorenzo Cardinal Litta
Preceded by Leonardo Cardinal Antonelli	Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary 20 May 1814–2 July 1821	Succeeded by Francesco Saverio Castiglioni
Preceded by Luigi Valenti Gonzaga	Cardinal-Bishop of Albano 8 March 1816–29 May 1820	Succeeded by Pietro Francesco Galeffi
Preceded by Giulio Maria Cardinal della Somaglia	Cardinal-Bishop of Porto-Santa-Rufina 29 May 1820–2 July 1821	Succeeded by Bartolomeo Pacca