BARBARIGO, MARC' ANTONIO AND GIOVANNI FRANCESCO

Cardinals, members of a prominent Venetian family.

Marc' Antonio. Cardinal; b. Venice, March 6, 1640;d. Montefiascone, May 26, 1706. Barbarigo, a member of the Venetian Council at age 25, left a promising political career for the priesthood and was ordained in 1671. When summoned to Padua by Gregory barbarigo, a distant relative, he became a canon in the cathedral and earned a degree utroque jure at the University of Padua. In 1676 he accompanied Cardinal Gregorio to the conclave that elected Innocent XI, and he remained in Rome at the new pope's request. He was appointed to the vacant episcopal See of Corfù in 1678 and was installed on September 24 of the same year. His peaceful and efficient administration lasted until 1685. On the first Sunday of Lent of that year, a controversy over a question of protocol arose between Barbarigo and Francesco Morosini, admiral of the Venetian fleet. Barbarigo fled to Venice to clear himself of charges brought against him. When denied a hearing and deprived of his possessions, he sought asylum in Rome. Having been cleared of the charges, he was made a cardinal by Innocent XI on Sept. 2, 1686. The following year he was appointed bishop of Montefiascone and Corneta, which he entered on Oct. 20, 1687. In this office, Barbarigo earned universal praise for his pastoral charity and his interest in education. Deeply concerned with the plight of underprivileged girls, he founded the institute of the Scuole e Maestre Pie for their care and education. In this work, he was assisted by Rose Venerini, foundress of similar schools in the diocese; one of the pupils, St. Lucy filippini, later became the superior of the Montefiascone institute. Barbarigo also promoted education and established a sound program of studies in the seminary "Barbarigo," which he generously endowed with a good library. He attended the conclaves that elected Alexander VIII, Innocent XII, and Clement XI. He is buried in the cathedral of Montefiascone. The process for his canonization is under way.

Giovanni Francesco. Cardinal, nephew of St. Gregory Barbarigo, cousin of Marc' Antonio; b. Venice, April 29, 1658; d. Padua, Jan. 26, 1730. Although ambassador of Venice at the court of Louis XIV, he renounced diplomacy for the priesthood. Bishop of Verona (1697) and of Brescia (1714), he was made cardinal by Clement XI in 1721, with the title of Saints Peter and Marcellinus. On Jan. 20, 1723, Innocent XIII named him bishop of Padua, where he distinguished himself for his piety and zeal, visiting hospitals, reorganizing ecclesiastical discipline, and promoting education. Barbarigo, munificent and learned scholar, published, at his own expense, the works of St. Zeno (1710) and of St. Gaudentius (1720). He is buried next to his uncle, Gregory.

Bibliography: M. A. Barbarigo. p. bergamaschi, Vita…del card. M. A. Barbarigo, 2 v. (Rome 1919). g. marangoni, Vita del card. M. Barbarigo (Montefiascone 1930). a. zerbini, Cultura e urnanesimo nell'Alto Lazio (Rome 1955). h. raab, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche (Freiburg 1957–65) 1:1237. g. f. barbarigo, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, 1:1236–37. c. eubel et al., Hierarchia Catholica medii (et recentioris) aevi 5:127, 309, 411. m. t. disdier, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques (Paris 1912—) 6:578–79.

[e. j. thomson]