Agnelo Rossi (born Aniello Rossi; 4 May 1913 – 21 May 1995) was a Brazilian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and

dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals The dean of the College of Cardinals () presides over the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church, serving as ('first among equals'). The position was established in the 12th century. He always holds the rank of a cardinal bishop and is as ...

Biography

Aniello (later changed to "Agnelo") Rossi was born on 4 May 1913 in Joaquim Egidio, in the municipality of

Campinas Campinas (, ''Plains'' or ''Meadows'') is a Brazilian Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in São Paulo (state), São Paulo State, part of the country's Southeast Region, Brazil, Southeast Region. According to the 2020 estimate, the city's popul ...

. Both his parents, Vincenzo Rossi e Vittoria Colombo, were Italian immigrants from the village of Lagonegro. In 1933 he left his Brazilian home for Rome. There he studied at the Pontifical College ''Pio Brasileiro'' and the

Pontifical Gregorian University Pontifical Gregorian University (; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana), is a private university, private pontifical university in Rome, Italy. The Gregorian originated as a part of the Roman College, founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyo ...

. He was ordained a priest on 27 March 1937 in the Patriarchal Lateran Basilica by Luigi Traglia, Vicegerent of Rome. Rossi subsequently met duties in Brazil, as secretary to the Bishop of Campinas for one year and as faculty member of the Central Seminary of São Paulo and the faculty of economic science of the University of Campinas. He was canon of the cathedral chapter of Campinas in 1943–1956. In 1956 Rossi was appointed Bishop of Barra do Piraí within the metropolitan district of

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

. Paulo de Tarso Campos, bishop of his home diocese Campinas, consecrated him in the same year. Rossi was named Archbishop of

Ribeirão Preto Ribeirão Preto (Portuguese pronunciation: Help:IPA/Portuguese, �ibejˈɾɐ̃w ˈpɾetu is a city and a metropolitan area located in the northeastern region of São Paulo (state), São Paulo state, Brazil. Ribeirão Preto is the eighth-la ...

in 1962. Two years later he was transferred to the Archiepiscopal see of São Paulo, which he held until 1970. In the

consistory Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to: *A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church *Consistor ...

of 1965 Rossi was created

Cardinal-Priest A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. ...

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

, and he received the title of '' Gran Madre di Dio''. In 1970 he was appointed Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the recently renamed ''Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide''. He participated in the two

conclave A conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. Concerns around ...

s of 1978 ( I, II). In 1984 he was promoted to Cardinal Bishop of Sabina e Poggio Morteto by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

; two years later he received the title of Bishop of Ostia in addition, becoming Dean of the

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals (), also called the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. there are cardinals, of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Appointed by the pope, ...

. He was President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See from 1984 to 1989. He resigned as president in 1989 and as Dean in 1993; because he ceased to be Dean, he gave up the title of Bishop of Ostia. He subsequently returned to Brazil. Cardinal Rossi died on 21 May 1995 in

Sources

Catholic Hierarchy

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossi, Agnelo 1913 births 1995 deaths Deans of the College of Cardinals Brazilian cardinals Cardinal-bishops of Ostia Cardinal-bishops of Sabina 20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Brazil Brazilian people of Italian descent Participants in the Second Vatican Council People from Campinas Pontifical Gregorian University alumni Members of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Members of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See Cardinals created by Pope Paul VI Roman Catholic archbishops of Ribeirão Preto Roman Catholic archbishops of São Paulo Roman Catholic bishops of Barra do Piraí-Volta Redonda

Biography

See also

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References