Pietro Capocci (c.1200, in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

– 19/21 May 1259, in Rome) was a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

cardinal, nominated by

Pope Innocent IV Pope Innocent IV ( la, Innocentius IV; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254. Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universitie ...

in the consistory of 28 May 1244, with the cardinal-diaconate of

San Giorgio in Velabro San Giorgio in Velabro is a church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to St. George. The church is located next to the Arch of Janus in the rione of Ripa in the ancient Roman Velabrum. According to the founding legend of Rome, the church was built wh ...

Life

Pietro Capocci was born about 1200, in Rome, to Giacomo di Giovanni Capocci and his wife Vinia, a family related to

Pope Honorius III Pope Honorius III (c. 1150 – 18 March 1227), born Cencio Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of import ...

, as well as the Colonna, the Orsini and the Cenci. In 1256, his parents donated a tabernacle to

Santa Maria Maggiore The Basilica of Saint Mary Major ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, ; la, Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris), or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major papal basilica as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and the larges ...

. In 1222 he was appointed a canon at St. Peter's; he was also granted a prebendary at

Guilden Morden Guilden Morden, England, is a village and parish located in Cambridgeshire about south west of Cambridge and west of Royston in Hertfordshire. It is served by the main line Ashwell and Morden railway station to the south in the neighbouring pa ...

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and North ...

. In May 1244, he was created cardinal deacon of S Giorgio in Velabro, and subsequently donated land next to its tower. He was also a patron of

Santa Prassede The Basilica of Saint Praxedes ( la, Basilica Sanctae Praxedis, it, Basilica di Santa Prassede all’Esquillino), commonly known in Italian as Santa Prassede, is an early medieval titular church and minor basilica located near the papal basilic ...

and

San Martino ai Monti San Martino ai Monti, officially known as Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti ("Saints Sylvester & Martin in the Mountains"), is a minor basilica in Rome, Italy, in the Rione Monti neighbourhood. It is located near the edge of the Parco del Colle ...

.Brentano, Robert. ''Rome before Avignon: A Social History of Thirteenth-Century Rome. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990, p. 195
/ref> Later in 1244, he accompanied

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...

. In 1249 he was named legate in four provinces of the Papal States: Marca Anconitana, Sabina, Campagna e Marittima and the duchy of Spoleto and led the papal forces against

Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II ( German: ''Friedrich''; Italian: ''Federico''; Latin: ''Federicus''; 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250) was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Je ...

, but was defeated at Cingoli. During his tenure as legate Capocci demonstrated both diplomatic ability and great military courage. In 1256, Capocci owned a house next to the 9th century church of

Santa Maria in Via ::''This Church is not to be confused with the Church of Santa Maria in Via Lata, a Deaconry.'' Santa Maria in Via is a basilica church in Rome. The church or a chapel existed in the 9th century, but was rebuilt following reports of a miracle ...

. A purported miraculous event occurred regarding an image of the Virgin Mary at the well in the adjoining stable yard.

directed Capocci to build a chapel to commemorate the event. Subsequent renovations incorporated the chapel into the church."Church of Santa Maria in Via - Madonna del Pozzo", Turismo Roma, Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion Department
/ref> In 1259, Capocci bequeathed a good part of his fortune to build a hospital to house the sick suffering from skin diseases and in particular from the so-called 'St Antony fire'. The hospital, built next to the 5th century church of Sant'Andrea Catabarbara, took its name from the church and the first rector was appointed by

Pope Clement IV Pope Clement IV ( la, Clemens IV; 23 November 1190 – 29 November 1268), born Gui Foucois ( la, Guido Falcodius; french: Guy de Foulques or ') and also known as Guy le Gros (French for "Guy the Fat"; it, Guido il Grosso), was bishop of Le P ...

in 1266. Legend has it that

Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christiani ...

was also hospitalised here. The rector enjoyed a special privilege that allowed him to attend the papal table and take away the leftovers for the benefit of the patients. The hospital had extensice gardens. The church was later replaced by the larger Sant'Antonio Abate all'Esquilino, whose facade incorporates a Romanesque gateway, the only survival from the hospital, and an inscription above it recording the hospital's foundation by Cardinal Capocci."Church of Sant'Eusebio all'Esquilino", Turismo Roma, Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion Department
/ref> Pietro Capocci was buried in the Capocci chapel of Santa Barbara at Santa Maria Maggiore which he himself had built.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Capocci 1200 births 1259 deaths 13th-century Italian cardinals