Teodolfo Mertel

Theodulf Cardinal Mertelsmann also Theodolfo Mertelsmann ( born February 9, 1806 Allumiere, Italy, † July 11, 1899 in Allumiere ) was the son of a Bavarian immigrant in Italy, lawyer, Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior of the Papal States, Cardinal since 1858; crowned by Pope Leo XIII. He was the most recent "lay cardinal " in church history and had no priesthood.

Life

Background and Career

The parents of Cardinal Isidore Moertl or Mertelsmann, bakers from the Bavarian Eglfing, and Mary Frances born Lunadei from Vorarlberg had emigrated to Italy and lived since 1803 in Allumiere, a papal mining settlement in northern Lazio (70 km northwest of Rome ) where alum stone was mined. Here the father worked as a state employee to supply the miners in his professional bakers.

Theodulf was born there in 1806 as the first child of his parents. He attended the School of the Capuchins in Tolfa, after the seminar Montefiascone. Finally, he studied law at the Sapienza University in Rome, graduated in 1828 and received his doctoral degree from the ecclesiastical and civil law. He then worked as a lawyer in his hometown Allumiere. Pope Gregory XVI. appointed him in 1831 in the service of the Roman Curia, where he held various legal positions. So Mertelsmann was, inter alia, a church congregation before that took care of the legal matters in need and those destitute poor defending, if necessary, free of charge. In 1843 he became the President of the Papal Civil Court and received the title of prelates, although he had no spiritual consecration. 1847 appointed him the new Pope Pius IX. to the Auditor of the Court of the Sacra Rota.

The Revolution of 1848 brought great political and constitutional upheaval for Church and Pope. Pius IX. learned the capable lawyers Mertelsmann clearly value quickly. He was commissioned for the Papal States as Secretary of the Commission of Cardinals used with the drafting of new statutes ( the Basic Law) and produced overnight a comprehensive draft article 69. The Pope accepted his text without any alteration.

Mertelsmann now became the legal authority of the Vatican. Pius IX. appointed him in 1853 in the narrowest line of the Papal States; first as Minister of Justice, then as head of the interior ministries ( Interior Minister ).

Cardinal

Against his express wishes - - On March 15, 1858 of a layman Theodulf Mertelsmann was in the College of Cardinals: raised ( titular church of San Lorenzo in Damaso ). According to the survey, he declined ordination to the priesthood because of his modesty, but asked for the consecration of the subdeacon, at least formally belonging to the clerical state.

Theodulf Mertelsmann was very charitable and campaigned for the establishment of deaf and disability institutions. 1863 appointed him to the Pope as President of the Supreme Council of the Papal States (Prime Minister).

In the function of a papal Senators Cardinal Mertelsmann participated in the First Vatican Council. He advised in the debates on the doctrine of infallibility to legally extremely precise formulation of the case and provided, inter alia from: "It's not that everything did popes and said, regarded as dogma. " Infallibility decision, he said yes, but urged for calm: "You have to be careful that does not cause greater problems zealots without distinctions and advocate excessive views than the opponent. "

Due to the political events and the occupation of the Papal States, the Council ended on October 20, 1870 ahead of schedule. Even now they resorted back to the tried and tested lawyers Mertelsmann. He formulated the letter by which the Pope protested against the illegal dissolution of the Papal States. Mertelsmann it is also attributed to him. Together with like-minded fluctuating Pope Pius IX then convinced that he could not leave Rome. The pontiff had later " referred to as the best man of the 19th century " and honored him Cardinal Mertelsmann with his personal trust by appointed him his executor. In this capacity, he also led on 13 July 1881, the dramatic night of transporting the body of Pius IX. from the Vatican in the Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le mura. This caused a riot, and an angry mob tried to throw the coffin into the Tiber.

1878 took part in the conclave Theodulf Mertelsmann that Joachim Pecci as Pope Leo XIII. elected pope. The son of a Bavarian baker finally crowned in the Sistine Chapel, the new head of the church with the tiara. Even under Leo XIII. remained Cardinal Mertelsmann the relevant law from the Curia, entrusted with a number of important scientific and diplomatic tasks. In 1881 he became cardinal deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata. 1884, he was made pontiff to the Vice Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church. With Giovanni Battista de Rossi joined him the lively interest in the new discoveries in the catacombs and he worked with him in the Archaeological Society of the Vatican to old age.

1889, with 83 years, the prince of the Church moved gradually back into retirement. In his hometown of Allumiere, where he is now increasingly staying, his abundant for those in need, funded the study for poor student priests and took a sister congregation in the place. He was a keen local historian and explored the long-term history of his birth area. He was also interested in geology and had a rich collection of minerals.

In addition, he always kept in touch with the Bavarian homeland of his father. The local pastor Sauter of Eglfing he wrote Latin letters and also inquired about his relationship. According to Martin Eckart from Huglfing, who wrote a treatise on Cardinal Mertelsmann in 2000, the prelate was then supported in the Bavarian homeland, among other descendants of his aunt Margaret and was upset about that pastor Sauter answered his Latin letters in German.

Almost unable to walk and almost blind Theodulf Mertelsmann died on July 11, 1899; with 93 years senior member of the College of Cardinals and last cardinal without ordination. Even the New York Times reported in an obituary about the death of " the cardinal was never ordained a priest." His final resting place he found in a tomb built for him next to the pilgrimage chapel "Mother of Mercy " in Allumiere.

Mertelsmann was friends with the Augustinerabt Johann Gregor Mendel.

The communities Eglfing and Allumiere went because of their common Cardinal Theodulf Mertelsmann in 2000 a city partnership.

In Rome, the 'Via Teodolfo Mertelsmann " and in Allumiere the " Piazza Teodolfo Mertelsmann " is named after the German -born prelate.