Giovanni Urbani (original) (raw)

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Italian Catholic patriarch of Venice and cardinal (1900-1969)

His EminenceGiovanni Urbani
Cardinal, Patriarch of Venice
Cardinal Urbani in 1964
Church Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese Venice
See Venice
Appointed 11 November 1958
Term ended 17 September 1969
Predecessor Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli
Successor Albino Luciani
Other post(s) Cardinal-Priest of San Marco (1962–69)President of the Italian Episcopal Conference (1966–69)
Previous post(s) Titular Bishop of Axornis (1946–48)Auxiliary Bishop of Venice (1946–48)General Ecclesiastical Assistant of Azione Cattolica (1946–55)Titular Archbishop of Sardes (1948–55)Archbishop-Bishop of Verona (1955–58)Cardinal-Priest of Santa Prisca (1958–62)
Orders
Ordination 24 September 1922by Pietro La Fontaine
Consecration 8 December 1946by Adeodato Giovanni Piazza
Created cardinal 15 December 1958by Pope John XXIII
Rank Cardinal-priest
Personal details
Born Giovanni Urbani(1900-03-26)26 March 1900Venice, Kingdom of Italy
Died 17 September 1969(1969-09-17) (aged 69)Venice, Italy
Motto In misericordia Tua
Coat of arms Giovanni Urbani's coat of arms
Styles ofGiovanni Urbani
Reference style His Eminence
Spoken style Your Eminence
Informal style Cardinal
See Venice

Giovanni Urbani (26 March 1900 – 17 September 1969) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Patriarch of Venice from 1958 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1958. He was considered to be overly dependent upon his advisers.[1]

Giovanni Urbani was born in Venice to Angelo and Elisabetta (née Borghi) Urbani, and was an artilleryman during World War I.[2] After studying at the Patriarchal Seminary of Venice, he was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Pietro La Fontaine on 24 September 1922. Urbani then did pastoral work in Venice until 1925, furthered his studies for a year, and taught at the seminary from 1927 to 1945. He was raised to the rank of privy chamberlain of his holiness on 12 November 1936, and later domestic prelate of his holiness on 5 June 1943.

On 26 October 1946, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Axomis. Urbani received his episcopal consecration on the following 8 December from Cardinal Adeodato Giovanni Piazza, OCD, with Bishops Giovanni Jeremich and Carlo Zinato serving as co-consecrators, in St. Mark's Basilica. Until 1955, he served as secretary and national counselor of Azione Cattolica's Central Commission, which included instructing Italian parishes against communism.[2] Urbani was promoted to Titular Archbishop of Sardes on 27 November 1948, and was later made Bishop of Verona, with the personal title of archbishop, on 14 April 1955.

Pope John XXIII named Urbani to succeed him as Patriarch of Venice on 11 November 1958. He was the first native Venetian to become patriarch since Cardinal Ludovico Flangini Giovanelli (1801–1804), and was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Prisca by Pope John in the consistory of 15 December of that same year. His cardinalatial title was later changed to Cardinal Priest of S. Marco on 19 March 1962. From 1962 to 1965, the Cardinal attended the Second Vatican Council. He was also one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 1963 papal conclave, which selected Pope Paul VI. Because of his moderate views, Urbani was widely seen as papabile at the conclave.[3] In 1964, he prohibited Venetian priests and nuns from attending the Venice Biennale due to the nudism in its exhibitions.[4]

Urbani died from a heart attack in Venice at age 69.[3] He is buried in St. Mark's Basilica.

  1. ^ "Election Trends". Time. 14 June 1963.
  2. ^ a b "The New Cardinals". Time. 22 December 1958.
  3. ^ a b "Milestones". Time. 26 September 1969.
  4. ^ "Pop Goes the Biennale". Time. 3 July 1964.
  5. ^ Pham, John-Peter. Heirs of the Fisherman: Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession. Oxford University Press, 2007
Catholic Church titles
Preceded byGirolamo Cardinale Archbishop of Verona 1955–1958 Succeeded byGiuseppe Carraro
Preceded byAngelo Roncalli Patriarch of Venice 1958–1969 Succeeded byAlbino Luciani
Preceded byGiuseppe Siri President of the Italian Episcopal Conference 1965–1969 Succeeded byAntonio Poma