Pope Benedict XIV
Also known as
- Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini
Profile
Son of Marcello Lambertini and Lucretia Bulgarini. Received his early education from tutors. At age thirteen he went to the Collegium Clementianum in Rome, Italy to study rhetoric, philosophy, theology, history, civil and ecclesiastical law. Received his doctorate in theology, canon law and civil law from La Sapienza University, Rome on 11 September 1694 at the age 19. Made consistorial lawyer by Pope Clement XI. Consultor of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. Named Promotor of the Faith in 1708. Canon theologian at the Vatican, and assessor of the Sacred Congregation of Rites in 1712. Papal domestic prelate in 1713. Sub-deacon on 17 April 1713. Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of the Council in 1718. Canonist of the Apostolic Penitentiary in 1722. Titular Bishop of Theodosia on 12 June 1724. Titular archbishop of Mira. Titular archbishop of Nazianzo. Named assistant at the Pontifical Throne on 13 March 1725. Bishop of Ancona, Italy on 20 January 1727. Created cardinal on 9 December 1726. Part of the conclave of 1730 that chose Pope Clement XII. Archbishop of Bologna, Italy on 30 April 1731. Elected 247th pope in 1740.
His pontificate coincided with a period when Europeans were turning against the Church, and the prestige of the Holy See was in decline. Ruled that the baptism of the children of Jews or pagans without the consent of their parents was valid but illicit, as it would be dangerous to baptize children who might lose their faith when they reached the age of reason; when a Jewish or pagan child was baptised without parental consent, the children should be taken away from their parents to be raised in a devout religious manner. Involuntary adult baptism was declared invalid. Forcible baptism of Jews was forbidden. Declared that it was sinful to make a profit from lending money. Approved the founding of the Passionists and Redemptorists. Condemned Freemasonry and the works of Voltaire. Investigated whether the Jesuits were moving beyond Papal control.
Born
Papal Ascension
MLA Citation