RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
A1 Šmíd, Marek
T1 Cardinal Pietro Gasparri - a Leading Personality of Vatican Diplomacy
JF Historica Olomucensia
YR 2012
VO 42
IS 2
SP 101
OP 114
UL https://historica.upol.cz/artkey/hol-201202-0006.php
AB Pietro Gasparri (1852-1934) who was priest, diplomat, university professor, scholar and cardinal since 1907, belonged to important representatives of Vatican politics of the first half of the 20th century. After his theological studies in Rome he worked at the Catholic Institute in Paris for nearly 20 years. When he returned to Rome he was appointed archbishop and sent to the South America as an apostolic nuncio. After coming back he worked for the Curia and became secretary of the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs. He reached his life and career peak in 1914 when he was appointed the Secretary of State of the Holy See, the position comparable to that of prime minister. In this office he came in diplomatic contact with the new Czechoslovakian state after the First World War and participated in the forming of its church policy. In a political-ecclesiastical sphere he had a significative impact on the conclusion of the Lateran Treaties with Italy which put an end to the longlasting tense relations between these two countries. He resigned from the office of secretary in 1930 when he was replaced by Eugenio Pacelli, the future pope Pius XII.