Carlo Salotti
Encyclopedia
Carlo Salotti was an Italian
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Prefect
of the Congregation of Rites from 1938 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in pectore
in 1933.
, Carlo Salotti attended the seminary
in Orvieto
before going to Rome
, where he studied at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare
and the Royal University
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on September 22, 1894, and then finished his studies in 1897. While performing his pastoral
ministry in Rome until 1912, Salotti became a professor
at his alma mater
of the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare in 1902. On July 20, 1915, he was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
. He entered the Roman Curia
on July 10, 1915 as assessor of the Congregation of Rites and subpromoter of the Faith, later becoming full Promoter of the Faith
in 1925.
On June 30, 1930, Salotti was appointed Titular Archbishop of Philippopolis in Thracia by Pope Pius XI
, and Secretary
of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith
and rector
of the Pontifical Urbaniana University
four days later, on July 3. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following July 6 from Cardinal Willem van Rossum, CSSR
, with Bishops Luigi Olivarès, SDB
, and Giovanni Rosi serving as co-consecrators
, in the basilica
of Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio
. During his tenure as rector of the Urbaniana University, he founded the Scientifical Missionary Institute of the same university. As Secretary of Propagation of the Faith, Salotti served as the second-highest official of that dicastery
, successively under Cardinals van Rossum and Pietro Fumasoni Biondi
.
Salotti praised Pope Pius XI for his dedication to missionary activity
on Vatican Radio in October 1931, and the Pope appreciated Salotti's work as Secretary of the Congregation and accordingly elevated to the College of Cardinals
on March 13, 1933, but did so only anonymously (in pectore
), so as to allow him to continue his work in that field.. His appointment as Cardinal-Priest
of San Bartolomeo all'Isola
was published in the consistory
of December 16, 1935. On September 14, 1938, Salotti was named Prefect
of the Congregation of Rites, and participated
in the 1939 papal conclave
that selected Pope Pius XII
, who advanced him to Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina on December 11, 1939.
Salotti died from a liver
ailment in Rome, at age 77. He is buried in his native Grotte di Castro.
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 Congregation of Rites from 1938 until his death, 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 pectore
In pectore
In 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...
in 1933.
Biography
Born in Grotte di CastroGrotte di Castro
Grotte di Castro is a comune in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Latium, located about 100 km northwest of Rome and about 35 km northwest of Viterbo.-References:...
, Carlo Salotti attended 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 Orvieto
Orvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
before going to 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...
, where he studied at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare
Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare
Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare was a university named after Saint Apollinaris. Notable people who have attended include:*Alfredo Ottaviani*Amleto Giovanni Cicognani*Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Tisserant*Benedetto Aloisi Masella*Gustavo Testa...
and the Royal University
Royal University
Royal University may mean:* Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas* Royal University of Bhutan* Royal University of Ireland...
. 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....
on September 22, 1894, and then finished his studies in 1897. While performing his 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...
ministry in Rome until 1912, Salotti became a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare in 1902. On July 20, 1915, he was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
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"...
. He entered the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
on July 10, 1915 as assessor of the Congregation of Rites and subpromoter of the Faith, later becoming full Promoter of the Faith
Devil's advocate
In common parlance, a devil's advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with, just for the sake of argument. In taking such position, the individual taking on the devil's advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative...
in 1925.
On June 30, 1930, Salotti was appointed Titular Archbishop of Philippopolis in Thracia 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...
, and Secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...
and rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Pontifical Urbaniana University
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
four days later, on July 3. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following July 6 from Cardinal Willem van Rossum, CSSR
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
, with Bishops Luigi Olivarès, SDB
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
, and Giovanni Rosi serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, in the basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
of Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio
Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio
Sacro Cuore di Gesú al Castro Pretorio is a Roman Catholic parish and titular church in Rome, Italy.It was built in 1887 by Francesco Vespignani. Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the church is served by the Salesians. It has an adjoining boarding-school of arts and industries.It was...
. During his tenure as rector of the Urbaniana University, he founded the Scientifical Missionary Institute of the same university. As Secretary of Propagation of the Faith, Salotti served as the second-highest official of that dicastery
Dicastery
Dicastery is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the Departments of the Roman Curia....
, successively under Cardinals van Rossum and Pietro Fumasoni Biondi
Pietro Fumasoni Biondi
Pietro Fumasoni Biondi was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in the Roman Curia from 1933 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1933.-Biography:Pietro Fumasoni Biondi was born in Rome...
.
Salotti praised Pope Pius XI for his dedication to missionary activity
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
on Vatican Radio in October 1931, and the Pope appreciated Salotti's work as Secretary of the Congregation and accordingly elevated to the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
on March 13, 1933, but did so only anonymously (in pectore
In pectore
In 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...
), so as to allow him to continue his work in that field.. His appointment as Cardinal-Priest
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 San Bartolomeo all'Isola
San Bartolomeo all'Isola
The Basilica of St. Bartholomew on the Island is a titular minor basilica, located in Rome, Italy. It was founded at the end of the 10th century by Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor. It contains the relics of St...
was published in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of December 16, 1935. On September 14, 1938, Salotti was named Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of the Congregation of Rites, and participated
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...
that 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....
, who advanced him to Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina on December 11, 1939.
Salotti died from a liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
ailment in Rome, at age 77. He is buried in his native Grotte di Castro.