GRASSI (DE GRASSIS)

The family name of a number of prominent Italian ecclesiastics in the 16th century, of whom the most noteworthy were the following.

Antonio, bishop, papal diplomat; b. date and place unknown, d. 1491. He was appointed auditor of the Rota in 1462 by Pope pius ii. In 1478–79 he served as Sixtus IV's nuncio to Emperor Frederick III. In 1485, Pope innocent viii appointed him bishop of Tivoli, in which office he remained until his death.

Achilles (the Elder), Italian cardinal, statesman, and canonist; b. Bologna, 1463; d. Rome, Nov. 27, 1523. He was an auditor of the Rota and bishop of Civitá de Castello; Pope julius ii sent him as envoy to Louis XII of France to ask Louis to withdraw his protection from the Bentivogli, a rival Bolognese family, who were plotting to poison the pope. Achilles was nominated cardinal of S. Sisto by Julius II on March 10, 1511; this was done to please the people of Bologna, where he was then bishop. The chaplain to Julius II as well as a canonist, Achilles wrote a collection of the decisions of the Tribunal of the Rota.

Paris, brother of Achilles De Grassis, master of ceremonies for Popes Julius II and leo x; b. Bologna 1470;d. Rome, June 10, 1528. He was successively a canonist, governor of Orvieto, master of ceremonies, prelate of the Pontifical Palace, and bishop of Pesaro (1515). Julius II had promised De Grassis a bishopric on the occasion of the solemn opening of the Council of the Lateran in 1512; he was promised the bishopric for the admirable way in which he had organized and conducted the function in St. John Lateran. Paris is chiefly known for his close association with Julius II during most of his pontificate, and with Leo X during all of his reign. His Diarium is one of the major sources for the day-by-day account of the lives of these popes. A laconic man with a dry wit who was exact in regard to ceremonies, Paris is known for such remarks as the following, made concerning Leo X: "He left Rome without a stole, and what is worse without his rochet, and worst of all with boots on. That is quite improper, for no one can kiss his feet" (Diarium, Roscoe-Henke, III, 520, quoted in Pastor, VIII, 162). He is the author of De Caeremoniis Cardinalium et Episcoporum in eorum diocesibus (1564) and Ordo Romanus et Diarium Curiae Romanae (1504–21).

Achilles, bishop of Montefrascona, nephew of Achilles, and secretary of the Council of Trent; b. Bologna, 1498; d. Rome, 1555. He was sent from Trent to Rome to inform Pope paul iii of the difficulty with Emperor Charles about translating the Council from Trent.

Bibliography: l. pastor, The History of the Popes from the Close of the Middle Ages (London–St. Louis 1938–61) 12:248, 309. f. wasner, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 4:1167–68.

[r. l. foley]