Gian Matteo Giberti

Gian Matteo Giberti (20 September 1495 – 30 December 1543) was an Italian diplomat,

Biography

Born at Palermo, he was the natural son of Francesco Giberti, a Genoese naval captain. In 1513 he was admitted to the household of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, and advanced so rapidly in Latin and Greek that he soon became an eminent member of the Academia Romana. Later he was appointed the cardinal's secretary, and Pope Leo X, with whom he had political dealings, valued his opinions and advice.

In 1521 he was chief intermediary with the envoy of

Giberti was chosen a member of the

After the Sack of Rome (1527) he was put in prison and barely escaped death. He succeeded in making his escape, and went to Verona (1528) intending to devote himself to his diocese. He was done with politics, all the more because the pope had gone over to the imperial cause. However, he appeared from time to time in the Curia. Pope Paul III recalled him to Rome for the work of the Reform Committee; among other missions he was sent to Trent to make preparations for the council.

His efforts to reform his diocese, whose clergy were in a deplorable state, were crowned with success. The Tridentine reforms were put in force long before the council assembled.

At Verona, moreover, he gathered around him a group of learned men to assist him in his efforts at reform. His complete works were edited by the scholars Girolamo and Pietro Ballerini (Constitutiones Gibertinae, Costituzioni per le Monache, Monitiones generales, Edicta Selecta, Lettere Scelte, 1733, 1740), together with an appendix containing the story of his life, a Dissertatio de restitutâ ante concilium Tridentinum per Jo. Matth. Giberti ecclesiasticâ disciplina, and two panegyrics.

External links and additional sources

• Cheney, David M. "Diocese of Verona".
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• Chow, Gabriel. "Diocese of Verona". GCatholic.org. Retrieved 15 June 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops)
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• Cheney, David M. "Nunciature to Venice".
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•  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Gian Matteo Giberti". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.