Camillo Caccia-Dominioni
Encyclopedia
Camillo Caccia-Dominioni (February 7, 1877—November 12, 1946) was an Italian
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Prefect
of the Pontifical Household from 1921 to 1935, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1935.
, Camillo Caccia-Dominioni studied at the seminary
in that same city before attending the Pontifical Gregorian University
(from where he obtained his doctorate in canon law
) and the Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles
(from where he graduated in 1898) in Rome
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Cardinal Andrea Ferrari
on September 23, 1899. Caccia-Dominioni did pastoral
work in Rome until 1921, and finished his studies in 1902. In 1903, he was appointed Coadjutor-Canon
of St. Peter's Basilica
.
Named Protonotary Apostolic
on June 27, 1921, Caccia-Dominioni was raised to the rank of Monsignor
on September 24, 1914. He was appointed Prefect
of the Pontifical Household, the papal
majordomo
, by Pope Benedict XV
on June 16, 1921. Upon the death of Pope Benedict on January 22, 1922, Caccia-Dominioni and all other major Vatican officials, in accord with custom, automatically lost their positions during the sede vacante
. He was later confirmed as Prefect of the Pontifical Household by Pope Pius XI
on the following February 7, and succeeded to the post of Canon of St. Peter's Basilica on February 14, 1924. Caccia-Dominioni was considered to be a protege
of Pius XI, at whose final hours the former was present in his bedchamber.
Caccia-Dominioni was created Cardinal-Deacon
of S. Maria in Domnica
by Pope Pius XI
in the consistory
of December 16, 1935. He was one of the cardinal electors
in the 1939 papal conclave
, which selected Pope Pius XII
. In virtue of his position of Protodeacon
(the senior Cardinal Deacon), Caccia-Dominioni announced
Pius XII's election and later crowned
him on March 12, 1939.
The Cardinal died from a heart ailment in Rome, at age 69. He is buried in the crypt
of the Basilica of Ss. Ambrogio e Carlo
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of the Pontifical Household from 1921 to 1935, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1935.
Biography
Born in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Camillo Caccia-Dominioni studied at the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in that same city before attending the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
(from where he obtained his doctorate in canon law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
) and the Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles
Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy is one of the Roman Colleges of the Roman Catholic Church. The academy is dedicated to training priests to serve in the diplomatic corps and the Secretariat of State of the Holy See....
(from where he graduated in 1898) in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Cardinal Andrea Ferrari
Andrea Ferrari
Andrea Ferrari is an Italian football goalkeeper. Despite having been designated the number 1 shirt, he is still the third choice goalkeeper at Atalanta B.C.. In the season 2007/08, he went on loan at Monza.-References:...
on September 23, 1899. Caccia-Dominioni did pastoral
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
work in Rome until 1921, and finished his studies in 1902. In 1903, he was appointed Coadjutor-Canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
.
Named Protonotary Apostolic
Protonotary apostolic
In the Roman Catholic Church, protonotary apostolic is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside of Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the pope has conferred this title and its special privileges.-History:In later antiquity there were in...
on June 27, 1921, Caccia-Dominioni was raised to the rank of Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
on September 24, 1914. He was appointed Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of the Pontifical Household, the papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
majordomo
Majordomo (domestic staff)
A majordomo is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, the term refers to the highest person of a household staff, one who acts on behalf of the owner of a typically large residence...
, by Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
on June 16, 1921. Upon the death of Pope Benedict on January 22, 1922, Caccia-Dominioni and all other major Vatican officials, in accord with custom, automatically lost their positions during the sede vacante
Sede vacante
Sede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church...
. He was later confirmed as Prefect of the Pontifical Household by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
on the following February 7, and succeeded to the post of Canon of St. Peter's Basilica on February 14, 1924. Caccia-Dominioni was considered to be a protege
Mentorship
Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
of Pius XI, at whose final hours the former was present in his bedchamber.
Caccia-Dominioni was created Cardinal-Deacon
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of S. Maria in Domnica
Santa Maria in Domnica
Santa Maria in Domnica — also known as Santa Maria alla Navicella — is a basilica church in Rome.-History:The church was built in ancient times, close to the Vigiles 5th cohort's barracks. The church was built no later than the 7th century...
by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of December 16, 1935. He was one of the cardinal electors
Cardinal electors in Papal conclave, 1939
The following were the cardinal electors in the 1939 papal conclave. Arranged by region , and within each alphabetically...
in the 1939 papal conclave
Papal conclave, 1939
The Papal conclave of 1939 was convoked on the brink of World War II with the death of Pope Pius XI on 10 February that year in the Apostolic Palace. With all 62 living cardinals in attendance, the conclave to elect Pius' successor began on 1 March and ended a day later, on 2 March, after three...
, which selected Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. In virtue of his position of Protodeacon
Protodeacon
Protodeacon derives from the Greek proto- meaning 'first' and diakonos, which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." The word in English may refer to various clergymen, depending upon the usage of the particular church in question.-Eastern...
(the senior Cardinal Deacon), Caccia-Dominioni announced
Habemus Papam
Habemus Papam! is the announcement given in Latin by the senior Cardinal Deacon upon the election of a new pope.The announcement is given from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican...
Pius XII's election and later crowned
Papal Coronation
A papal coronation was the ceremony of the placing of the Papal Tiara on a newly elected pope. The first recorded papal coronation was that of Pope Celestine II in 1143. Soon after his coronation in 1963, Pope Paul VI abandoned the practice of wearing the tiara. His successors have chosen not to...
him on March 12, 1939.
The Cardinal died from a heart ailment in Rome, at age 69. He is buried in the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
of the Basilica of Ss. Ambrogio e Carlo
San Carlo al Corso
Sant'Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso is a basilica church in Rome, Italy, facing onto the central part of the Via del Corso. It is dedicated to Saint Ambrose of Milan and Saint Charles Borromeo, also a native of that city...
.
Trivia
- It was falsely speculated that Caccia-Dominioni had been elevated to a cardinal in pectoreIn pectoreIn pectore is a term used in the Catholic Church to refer to appointments to the College of Cardinals by the Pope when the name of the newly appointed cardinal is not publicly revealed...
by Pius XI in the consistory of March 13, 1933.