Paolo Angelo Ballerini (1814–1897) was an Italian prelate who was named by Pope Pius IX archbishop of Milan

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milan

The Archdiocese of Milan is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Italy. It has long maintained its own rite: the Ambrosian rite. It is led by the Archbishop of Milan who serves as metropolitan to the dioceses of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Crema, Cremona, Lodi, Mantova, Pavia, and Vigevano.The...

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Life

Born in Milan

Milan

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 ,...

 at the time part of the Kingdom of Italy

Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)

The Kingdom of Italy was a state founded in Northern Italy by Napoleon, fully influenced by revolutionary France, that ended with his defeat and fall.-Constitutional statutes:...

.In 1837 he was ordained priest for his native archdiocese then in December 1857 he was named vicar general

Vicar general

A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...

 of the archdiocese, in the early days of 1858 archbishop Romilli suffered a stroke

Stroke

A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...

 so Ballerini's duties in the management of the archdiocese were increased due to the critical condition of archbishop Romilli.

Archbishop of Milan

In May 1859 Romilli died so following the Concordat of 1855 the Austrian emperor

Franz Joseph I of Austria

Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...

 suggested Ballerini, a staunch conservative, as archbishop of Milan and pope Pius IX accepted soon. The Italian government, that had taken possession of Milan and Lombardy

Lombardy

Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...

 after the Second Italian War of Independence

Second Italian War of Independence

The Second War of Italian Independence, Franco-Austrian War, Austro-Sardinian War, or Austro-Piedmontese War , was fought by Napoleon III of France and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia against the Austrian Empire in 1859...

, refused to recognized Ballerini as archbishop because he opposed the cause of Italian reunification. Ballerini was unable to take possession of his see as archbishop but Auxiliary bishop

Auxiliary bishop

An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...

 Carlo Caccia Dominioni

Carlo Caccia Dominioni

Carlo Caccia Dominioni was an Italian prelate, who become auxiliary bishop of Milan.- Life :Born in Milan in the noble family of Caccia Dominioni he entered in 1812 in the seminary of Milan, then in 1826 he was ordained a priest...

 governed the archdiocese. In October 1866 bishop Caccia di Dominioni died and the chapter of the Milan cathedral named Filippo Carcano as vicar of the archbishop, Ballerini didn't agree with this decision so in order to avoid other problems pope Pius IX named Luigi Nazari di Calabiana

Luigi Nazari di Calabiana

Luigi Nazari di Calabiana was an Italian churchman and politician: a senator of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Archbishop of Milan.- Bishop of Casale and Senator :...

 as archbishop of Milan and Ballerini was named as Latin Patriarch of Alexandria

Latin Patriarch of Alexandria

This is a list of The Latin Patriarchs of Alexandria established in 1215 during the pontificate of Pope Innocent III. This titular office was abolished in 1964. His patriachal seat in Rome was the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls....

. The former archbishop of Milan participated in the First Vatican Council

First Vatican Council

The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...

, where he supported the dogma of papal infallibility.

Ballerini spent his later life in Seregno, where he passed away in 1897.