Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644)

Today marks the death of Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644), and the following is adapted from the 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia:

Born Maffeo Barberini to a noble family in Florence, he studied under the Jesuits and earned a law degree before entering the papal service. After serving as governor of Fano and nuncio to France, he was named a cardinal priest in 1606. In 1608 he was named Archbishop of Spoleto. In 1617 he was named prefect of the apostolic signature. OIn August 6, 1623, he was elected Pope. It is related that, before allowing himself to be vested in the pontifical robes, he prostrated himself before the altar, praying that God might let him die if his pontificate would not be for the good of the Church.

During Urban’s pontificate occurred the second trial and condemnation of Galileo by the Roman Inquisition. He was a great patron of Catholic foreign missions and erected various dioceses and vicariates in mission territories. In a 1639 papal bull he prohibited slavery in Paraguay, Brazil, and the entire West Indies. Urban’s greatest fault was his excessive nepotism. He made two nephew cardinals and a third prefect of Rome, in addition to making his brother a cardinal. In 1630 he gave cardinals the title “eminence,” whereas previously they were “Illustrious and Most Reverend.” He erected the beautifully situated papal villa at Castle Gandolfo. In the Basilica of St. Peter he erected the baldachin over the high altar.It is as yet difficult to pass a correct judgment on Urban from every point of view. His life remains still to be written fairly. His private life was beyond all reproach, and the common welfare of the Church seems to have been the mainspring of his pontifical labours.