Francesco Cennini de' Salamandri

Who was Francesco Cennini de' Salamandri?

Francesco Cennini de' Salamandri was an Italian Catholic Cardinal.

Cennini de' Salamandri was born 21 November 1566 in Sarteano into a noble family of Marquises of Castiglioncello del Trinoro. He received a Doctorate utroque iure and was ordained a priest in 1591 at age 24.

He was named parish priest of Sarteano and Archpriest and Vicar-General of the Diocese of Chiusi before going to Rome to work as a legal advocate. In 1612 he was elected Bishop of Amelia and became a Signatory of the Apostolic Penitentiary and served as Governor of Rome for eight years. In 1618 he was named Nuncio to Spain and remained there until 1621 and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem; a title he retained until 1645.

Cennini de' Salamandri was elevated to cardinal in 1621 but did not participate in the Papal conclave that year. He did, however, participate in the conclave of 1623 that elected Pope Urban VIII and was made Bishop of Faenza later that year where he served for 18 years.

He was appointed Cardinal-Priest of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto in 1641, resigned as Bishop of Faenza in 1643 and participated in the Papal conclave of 1644 that elected Pope Innocent X. He was named Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy and Vice-Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals later in 1644.