His Eminence

Federico Caccia
Cardinal, Archbishop of Milan
ChurchCatholic Church
SeeMilan
Appointed13 April 1693
PredecessorFederico Visconti
SuccessorGiuseppe Archinto
Other post(s)Cardinal Priest of Santa Pudenziana
Orders
Consecration4 January 1693 (Bishop)
by Galeazzo Marescotti
Created cardinal12 December 1695
Personal details
Born(1635-06-10)10 June 1635
Milan
Died14 January 1699(1699-01-14) (aged 63)
Milan
BuriedCathedral of Milan
Coat of armsFederico Caccia's coat of arms

Federico Caccia (10 June 1635 – 14 January 1699) was an Italian diplomat, Cardinal, and Archbishop of Milan from 1693 to 1699.

Early life

Caccia was born on 10 June 1635 in Milan[1] to a noble family from Novara. Orphaned early in childhood, he studied under the Jesuits in the College of Brera in Milan and later he was admitted at the Collegio Borromeo. He earned a doctorate in utroque iure at the University of Pavia and took up a career as lawyer in Milan.[2]

In 1667 he moved to Rome where, as lawyer, he gained assignments in the Roman Curia. He was also rector for four years of the Archgimnasium of Rome. His works as lawyer are mostly lost.[2]

In view of more demanding services, he was appointed titular archbishop of Laodicea in Phrygia on 2 January 1693 and consecrated bishop on 4 January 1693 by Cardinal Galeazzo Marescotti in Rome[3] with Prospero Bottini, Titular Archbishop of Myra, and Stefano Giuseppe Menatti, Titular Bishop of Cyrene, serving as co-consecrators.[4] The day after he left Rome as Nuncio to the Kingdom of Spain, where he succeeded to gain the confidence of Charles II.[2]

Archbishop of Milan

On 13 April 1693 Federico Caccia was appointed Archbishop of Milan, however he entered Milan only on 11 December 1696 due to his ongoing diplomatic services and to a term of about six months in Rome.[2] On 12 December 1695 he was appointed Cardinal Priest of Santa Pudenziana.[4]

As Archbishop of Milan he convened all the vicars of the diocese of Milan on 16 March 1697, and made a pastoral visit to the valley of Ticino.[1] He was able to keep such good relations with the Spanish government that he was appointed by Charles II of Spain as temporary governor of the Duchy of Milan in 1697.[2]

He is remembered for his love for the paupers to whom he left by will all his properties.[1] Federico Caccia died in Milan on 14 January 1699 and his remains were buried in the North transept of the Cathedral of Milan. While bishop, he was the principal consecrator of Francisco Manuel de Zúñiga Sotomayor y Mendoza, Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo.[4][1]

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References

  1. ^ a b c d Cazzani, Eugenio (1996). Vescovi e arcivescovi di Milano (in Italian). Milano: Massimo. pp. 244–246. ISBN 88-7030-891-X.
  2. ^ a b c d e Comparato, Vittor Ivo (1972). "Caccia, Federico". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Volume 15: Buffoli–Caccianemici (in Italian). Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. ISBN 978-8-81200032-6.
  3. ^ Salvador Miranda. "Caccia, Federico". Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  4. ^ a b c David Cheney. "Federico Cardinal Caccia". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
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