Lorenzo Litta

Lorenzo Litta ( born February 23, 1756 in Milan, † May 1, 1820 in Monteflavio ) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

Life

The descendant of Cardinal Alfonso Michele Litta studied to 1780 civil and canon law in Rome. Pope Pius VI. appointed him in 1782 as apostolic prothonotary. On June 6, 1789 Litta was then ordained a priest.

1793 Pius VI appointed him. Titular Archbishop of Tebe. He received his episcopal consecration on October 6, 1793 Cardinal Luigi Valenti Gonzaga. In the same year was Litta Apostolic Nuncio in Poland, which he remained until 1797. In 1798 he tried in vain to establish diplomatic relations with the Russian tsar. After the death of Pius VI. In 1799 he traveled to Venice, to make preparations for the conclave. The new Pope Pius VII appointed him in November 1800 to the papal treasurer.

Pius VII took Litta on February 23, 1801 Cardinal Priest of Santa Pudenziana the College of Cardinals to. He gave up the office of Treasurer and 1803 was Prefect of the Congregation of the Index. And he stood against Napoleon Bonaparte, this 1810 forbade him wearing his red official dress ( "Black Cardinal " ) and had him in 1813 to Fontainebleau. It was not until the following year Cardinal Litta was able to return to Rome and was Prefect of the Congregation De Propaganda Fide. In 1814 he became Cardinal Bishop of Sabina. After he had taken on additional offices in the curia, appointed him Pius VII in 1818 to the Cardinal Vicar. Two years later, Cardinal Litta died from stomach ailments. He is buried in the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo.