Serafino Vannutelli

Serafino Vannutelli (26 November 1834 – 19 August 1915) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, a cardinal and official of the Roman Curia where he held several of the highest administrative posts. Made a cardinal in 1887, he was named a cardinal-bishop in 1893 and elected dean of the College of Cardinals in 1915 and he died shortly after. He was thought a possible candidate for the papacy in 1903. At the start of his career, he worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1869 to 1887, serving as Apostolic Delegate to several Latin American countries and as Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and Austria. His younger brother Vincenzo (1836–1930) was also a Catholic cardinal. Biography Vannutelli was born at Genazzano, in the diocese of Palestrina, where he studied and graduated in philosophy before studying theology in the Capranica College, Rome. After teaching theology at the Pontifical Seminary, he began his work in the diplomatic service of the Holy See as secretary to the Papal Nuncio in Bavaria. He became auditor to the Nuncio at the Court of Maximilian in Mexico.