English College to bring legacy of 19th-century Cardinal to life

By Joseph Tulloch

Almost 200 years have passed since the death of Cardinal Ercole Consalvi, the papal diplomat renowned for his negotiations with Napoleon.

To mark the bicentenary of his death, the Venerable English College in Rome, together with the British Embassy to the Holy See, are hosting a number of events, aiming to highlight Consalvi’s engagement with the United Kingdom.

Commemoration in Rome

The first of these events will be an invitation-only symposium entitled Consalvi and the United Kingdom on 24 January.

The Cardinal’s diplomatic skills during his visit to the UK are often credited with a crucial role in advancing the Catholic campaign for civil rights in the country.

This symposium will be followed by a concert at Rome’s Basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso, where recently-discovered music from Cardinal Consalvi’s era will be given its first modern performance. It will be held on Wednesday 24 January 2024 at 20:00, and be open to all. 

Moreover, some of Consalvi's manuscripts from the Archives of the Secretariat of State will be placed on display in the Vatican Museums

A "fascinating figure"

Speaking to journalists at a press conference to announce the events, the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, said that Cardinal Consalvi was a “really a fascinating figure”.

He stressed the Cardinal’s “openness to negotiation” and the fact he had “achieved many things for the Church in relatively few years”.

Archbishop Gallagher also noted that Consalvi made many sacrifices in order to serve the popes, and stressed his ability to understand and put into practice the worldview of each of the pontiffs that he worked under.