Lorenzo Casoni (September 10, 1645-November 19, 1720) was a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

cardinal.Florida International University, Biographical Diction section ''Pope Clement XI (1700-1721), Consistory of May 17, 1706 (II)''
/ref>

Biography

Lorenzo Casoni was born in

Sarzana Sarzana (, ; ) is a town, ''comune'' (municipality) and former short-lived Catholic bishopric in the Province of La Spezia, Liguria, Italy. It is east of La Spezia, on the railway to Pisa, at the point where the railway to Parma diverges to the ...

on September 10, 1645, the son of Niccolò, count of Villanova, and Giulia Petriccioli. The family was of noble and religious origins:Google Books website, ''Testamenti dei Cardinali: Lorenzo Casoni (1645-1720)'', by Maria Gemma Paviolo, page 13
/ref> his cousin was Monsignor

Agostino Favoriti Agostino may refer to: * Agostino (name) * ''Agostino'' (film), an Italian film directed by Mauro Bolognini * ''Agostino'' (novel), a short novel by Alberto Moravia Alberto Pincherle (; 28 November 1907 – 26 September 1990), known by his pseu ...

, secretary of

Pope Innocent XI Pope Innocent XI (; ; 16 May 1611 – 12 August 1689), born Benedetto Odescalchi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 September 1676 until his death on 12 August 1689. Political and religious tensions with ...

, to which post he later succeeded. His great-grandnephews were later Cardinal

Filippo Casoni Filippo Casoni (6 March 1733 – 9 October 1811) was a Roman Catholic cardinal, the last governor of Avignon before the annexation to France. Biography On 4 May 1794, he was consecrated bishop by Hyacinthe-Sigismond Gerdil, Cardinal-Priest of S ...

, in 1801, and Cardinal Luigi Vannicelli Casoni, in 1839. Pope Innocent XI made him "secret chamberlain of honor" and canon of

Santa Maria Maggiore Santa Maria Maggiore (), also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major or the Basilica of Saint Mary the Great, is one of the four Basilicas in the Catholic Church#Major and papal basilicas, major papal basilicas and one of the Seven Pilgrim C ...

. On March 3, 1690, he was elected titular archbishop of Caesarea, with dispensation for not receiving the diaconate and presbyterate. On 12 Mar 1690, he was

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

bishop by

Francesco Nerli (iuniore) Francesco Nerli, iuniore (12 June 1636 – 8 April 1708) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 6 Jul 1670, he was consecrated bishop by Carlo Carafa della Spina, Cardinal-Priest of Santa Susanna, with Giambattista Spínola (seniore), ...

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. ...

of San Matteo in Merulana.

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...

elevated him to the rank of cardinal in the consistory of May 17, 1706. In honor of the two popes who had helped him, he had two monuments erected in the Chapel of the Crucifix in Sarzana, his hometown. He died on November 19, 1720, at the age of 75.

References

1645 births 1720 deaths 18th-century Italian cardinals People from Sarzana Apostolic nuncios to the Kingdom of Naples {{Italy-RC-cardinal-stub