Silvio Antoniani (31 December 1540, Rome – 16 August 1603, Rome) was a musician, canon lawyer, writer on education, priest and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, who spent most of his career in the Roman Curia.

Silvio Antoniano
Cardinal-Priest of San Salvatore in Lauro
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
Appointed17 March 1599
Term ended16 August 1603
PredecessorScipione Lancelotti
SuccessorSéraphin Olivier-Razali
Previous post(s)Secretary of the College of Cardinals (1568-92)
Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and Regulars (1590-99)
Orders
Ordination17 June 1568
Created cardinal3 March 1599
by Pope Clement VIII
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born31 December 1540
Died16 August 1603(1603-08-16) (aged 62)
Rome, Papal States
BuriedSanta Maria in Vallicella
ParentsMatteo Antoniani
Pace Colella
Alma materUniversity of Ferrara

Life

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The son of a poor wool merchant, his talent with the lyre at a young age drew the attention of many patrons and led indirectly to his career in the Church.

Cardinal Otto Truchsess von Waldburg funded his education at a young age. Pope Julius III provided Antoniani with room and board at the Apostolic Palace. He met Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, who sponsored his studies at the University of Ferrara, where Antoniani earned a doctorate in civil and canon law in 1556, and was professor of classical literature.

After the death of the Duke of Ferrara, he returned to Rome. In 1563 Pope Pius IV appointed him to the chair of belles-lettres in Sapienza University, a position in which he worked with St Charles Borromeo, who made him his personal secretary. In 1566 he resigned the chair, and took up the study of theology under the direction of St Philip Neri and was ordained priest on 12 June 1568.

Pope Pius V named him Secretary of the College of Cardinals, a position he held for twenty-four years. Pope Sixtus V named him secretary of the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars. Clement VIII appointed him Secretary of Papal Briefs in 1593. Antoniano was also Master of the Papal Chamber and a Canon of the Basilica of Saint Peter.

Pope Clement created him Cardinal Priest of San Salvatore in Lauro on 3 March 1599. He was present at the acceptance of the Union of Brest, and two of his writings are inscribed on the north and south faces of the pedestal supporting the Vatican obelisk in Saint Peter's Square. He died in Rome in 1603, and is interred in Santa Maria in Vallicella.

Works

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With the advent of Italian humanism in the late sixteenth century, Antoniano devoted himself to the study of educational problems and at the instance of St Charles Borromeo, wrote his principal work on the Christian education of children, (Tre libri dell' educazione cristiana de' figliuoli, Verona, 1584.) His work passed through several editions in Italian and was translated into French by Guignard (Troyes, 1856; Paris, 1873), and into German by Kunz (Freiburg, 1888). The other writings of Antoniano, many of which have not been published, deal with literary, historical, and liturgical subjects.

He was one of the compilers of the Roman Catechism and a member of the commission charged by Clement VIII with the revision of the Breviary.

References

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  • Miranda, Salvador. "ANTONIANO, Silvio (1540-1603)". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Florida International University Library. OCLC 53276621.
  •   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainHerbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Silvio Antoniano". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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