Augusto Silj J.U.D. (9 July 1846 – 27 February 1926) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. He was the cousin of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri (1852-1934).[1]


Augusto Silj
Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
Appointed30 March 1920
Term ended27 February 1926
PredecessorMichele Lega
SuccessorFrancesco Ragonesi
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cecilia (1919–26)
Orders
Ordination4 April 1874
by Costantino Patrizi Naro
Consecration13 January 1907
by Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta
Created cardinal15 December 1919
by Pope Benedict XV
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born
Augusto Silj

9 July 1846
Calcara di Visco, Norcia, Papal States
Died27 February 1926(1926-02-27) (aged 79)
Rome, Kingdom of Italy
BuriedCampo Verano
Previous post(s)
Alma materPontifical Roman Seminary
Styles of
Augusto Silj
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeCesarea in Mauretania (titular see)

Early life and priesthood edit

Augusto Silj was born in Calcara di Visso, Italy. He entered the Seminary of Norcia and continued his education at the Pontifical Roman Seminary where he earned doctorates in philosophy and a doctorate in both canon and civil law.

He was ordained on 4 April 1874. He did pastoral work in the diocese of Rome and was at the same time rector of the hospice "dei Convertendi". He worked as a consultor for the Congregation for Bishops and Regulars and the Pontifical Commission for the Codification of Canon Law. He was created Domestic prelate of His Holiness on 7 July 1906.

Episcopate edit

He was appointed as titular archbishop of Caesarea in Mauretania by Pope Pius X on 26 December 1906.[2] He was consecrated on 13 January 1907, by Cardinal Secretary of State Rafael Merry del Val, assisted by Pietro Gasparri, Secretary of the Congregation of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, and by Ercolano Marini, Bishop of Norcia. He was appointed a consultor of the Congregation of the Council on 4 November 1908.

Cardinalate edit

He was created Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere[3] by Pope Benedict XV in the consistory of 15 December 1919. Pope Benedict appointed him Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura[3] on 20 March 1920, a post he held until his death. He participated in conclave of 1922 that elected Pope Pius XI.

He died in 1926 and is buried at the Campo Verano cemetery. He wished to be buried in Ussita, next to the baptismal font of the church of Sant'Andrea.[2]

References edit

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
20 March 1920 – 26 February 1926
Succeeded by