Ascanio Gesualdo

Ascanio Gesualdo (died 27 January 1638) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archdiocese of Bari-Canosa (1613–1638), Titular Patriarch of Constantinople (1618–1638), and Apostolic Nuncio to the Emperor (1617–1621).[1]

Most Reverend Ascanio Gesualdo
Archbishop of Bari (-Canosa)
Church	Catholic Church
Diocese	Archdiocese of Bari-Canosa
In office	1613–1638
Predecessor	Decio Caracciolo Rosso
Successor	Diego Sersale
Personal details
Died	27 January 1638 Bari, Italy

Biography

Gesualdo was born in Naples in the later sixteenth century, the son of Michele Gesualdo and Maria Caracciolo. In 1609 he became a referendary of the Apostolic Signatura.[2]

On 1 July 1613, during the papacy of Pope Paul V, he was appointed to the Archdiocese of Bari-Canosa.[1] On 21 October 1615 he was appointed papal nuncio to the Brussels court of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella.[3] On 17 June 1617, he was transferred to Prague as Apostolic Nuncio to the Emperor.[1]

On 25 June 1618, he was appointed by Pope Paul V as Titular Patriarch of Constantinople.[1] On 17 April 1621, he resigned as imperial nuncio.[1] He arrived in Bari on 19 March 1622 and dedicated himself full-time to his duties as Bishop of Bari. He held diocesan synods in 1624 and 1628.[2] He remained Titular Patriarch of Constantinople until his death on 27 January 1638.[1]

He died in Bari, where he was buried in the cathedral.

Episcopal succession

While bishop, he was the principal co-consecrator of:[1]

• Cesare Ventimiglia, Bishop of Terracina, Priverno e Sezze (1615);
• Giovanni Battista Lancellotti, Bishop of Nola (1615);
• Adam Nowodworski, Bishop of Kamyanets-Podilskyi (1615);
• Vincenzo Caputo, Bishop of San Severo (1615);
• Girolamo Pignatelli, Archbishop of Rossano (1615); and
• Vincenzo Periti, Bishop of Lavello (1615).

References

1. "Patriarch Ascanio Gesualdo" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016
2. Simona Feci, "Gesualdo, Ascanio", Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, vol. 53 (2000)
3. Gesualdo's correspondence as nuncio in Brussels has been calendared in the Analecta Vaticano-Belgica, as Correspondance des nonces Gesualdo, Morra, Sanseverino avec la Secrétairerie d'Etat pontificale, 1615-1621, edited by L. Van Meerbeeck (Brussels, 1937).

External links and additional sources

• Cheney, David M. "Nunciature to Emperor (Germany)". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops) ^{[self-published]}
• Cheney, David M. "Constantinople (Titular See)". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops) ^{[self-published]}
• Chow, Gabriel. "Titular Patriarchal See of Constantinople (Turkey)". GCatholic.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops) ^{[self-published]}
• Cheney, David M. "Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops) ^{[self-published]}
• Chow, Gabriel. "Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bari–Bitonto (Italy)". GCatholic.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops) ^{[self-published]}