Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano
Encyclopedia
Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano (July 9, 1828, Bene Vagienna
, Italy
– December 7, 1913, Rome
, Italy) was a cardinal
of the Catholic Church
in the late nineteenth century. He was Bishop of Ostia
and Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals from 1896 until his death.
He was educated in Turin
and became a priest in 1851. After that, he soon rose to become domestic prelate of Pope Pius IX
by 1857 and was internuncio in Holland from 1863 to 1866. In May of that year he was elected titular Archbishop of Damietta and served as papal nuncio
to Belgium
from then until 1868, when he was moved to Portugal
. He remained as nuncio until his promotion to the cardinalate when he was returned to Rome.
On December 22, 1873, Oreglia was created a cardinal by Pius IX and two years later he became Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Relics. He participated in the 1878 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIII
and that pope elevated him to Camerlengo on March 27, 1882. Although Oreglia was forced to relinquish the post a year later, he became Camerlengo once more in 1885 and retained that post right up to his death twenty-eight years later. During this period he rose gradually to sub-Dean of the Sacred College by 1889 and to Dean by 1896.
When Leo XIII died in 1903, Cardinal Oreglia became the sole surviving cardinal elevated by Pope Pius IX. As therefore the only elector in the 1903 conclave with previous experience in electing a pope, and being the leader of the ultraconservative curial faction within the college who wanted a more intransigent pontiff than Leo was thought to have been, Oreglia is widely believed to have played a prominent role in the election of Giuseppe Sarto as Pius X. Indeed, some students of the papacy believe that without the guidance of Cardinal Oreglia, Cardinal Sarto would have chosen to refuse the papacy even when he had obtained 55 of the 60 available votes.
Nevertheless, Oreglia is also said to have vehemently protested against the announcement by Cardinal Jan Puzyna de Kosielsko regarding the civil veto of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria against the name of Cardinal Mariano Rampolla, Leo's Secretary of State. Oreglia is also rumored to have prohibited the use of the method of election known as accessus
in the 1903 Conclave that elected Pope Pius X.
Oreglia retained his positions with the College of Cardinals right up to his death in 1913 at the age of eighty-five.
Bene Vagienna
Bene Vagienna is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km south of Turin and about 30 km northeast of Cuneo....
, Italy
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...
– December 7, 1913, 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...
, Italy) was a 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 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...
in the late nineteenth century. He was Bishop of Ostia
Bishop of Ostia
The Bishop of Ostia is the head of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Ostia, one of the seven suburbicarian sees of Rome. The position is now attached to the post of Dean of the College of Cardinals, as it has been since 1150, with the actual governance of the diocese entrusted to the Vicar General of...
and Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals from 1896 until his death.
He was educated in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and became a priest in 1851. After that, he soon rose to become domestic prelate of Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
by 1857 and was internuncio in Holland from 1863 to 1866. In May of that year he was elected titular Archbishop of Damietta and served as papal nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
from then until 1868, when he was moved to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. He remained as nuncio until his promotion to the cardinalate when he was returned to Rome.
On December 22, 1873, Oreglia was created a cardinal by Pius IX and two years later he became Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Relics. He participated in the 1878 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
and that pope elevated him to Camerlengo on March 27, 1882. Although Oreglia was forced to relinquish the post a year later, he became Camerlengo once more in 1885 and retained that post right up to his death twenty-eight years later. During this period he rose gradually to sub-Dean of the Sacred College by 1889 and to Dean by 1896.
When Leo XIII died in 1903, Cardinal Oreglia became the sole surviving cardinal elevated by Pope Pius IX. As therefore the only elector in the 1903 conclave with previous experience in electing a pope, and being the leader of the ultraconservative curial faction within the college who wanted a more intransigent pontiff than Leo was thought to have been, Oreglia is widely believed to have played a prominent role in the election of Giuseppe Sarto as Pius X. Indeed, some students of the papacy believe that without the guidance of Cardinal Oreglia, Cardinal Sarto would have chosen to refuse the papacy even when he had obtained 55 of the 60 available votes.
Nevertheless, Oreglia is also said to have vehemently protested against the announcement by Cardinal Jan Puzyna de Kosielsko regarding the civil veto of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria against the name of Cardinal Mariano Rampolla, Leo's Secretary of State. Oreglia is also rumored to have prohibited the use of the method of election known as accessus
Accessus
Accessus is a term applied to the voting in conclave for the election of a pope, by which a cardinal changes his vote and accedes to some other candidate. Accessus voting was first used in the papal conclave, 1455...
in the 1903 Conclave that elected Pope Pius X.
Oreglia retained his positions with the College of Cardinals right up to his death in 1913 at the age of eighty-five.