14 Facts About Nicola Canali

Nicola Canali was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

Nicola Canali served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State from 1939 and as Major Penitentiary from 1941 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1935.

Nicola Canali was Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a prestigious papal order of knighthood, from 1949 until 1960.

On 1 September 1903, Nicola Canali was made private secretary to Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val and entered the Roman Curia, in the Secretariat of State.

On 21 March 1908, Monsignor Nicola Canali was appointed Substitute for General Affairs, or deputy, of the Secretary of State.

Nicola Canali was made a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness on the following 23 March, and later Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Ceremonies on 24 September 1914.

Nicola Canali was named assessor of the Holy Office on 27 June 1926, and a Protonotary Apostolic on the following 15 September.

Nicola Canali was one of the cardinal electors in the 1939 papal conclave that selected Pope Pius XII, who appointed him the first President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State on 20 March 1939.

Nicola Canali was made Protector of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre on 16 July 1940, and later its Grand Master on 26 December 1949.

In 1951, Nicola Canali sought in vain to be elected Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, but the duties of that office were incompatible with his role in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, rendering him unable to be considered for the office.

Not satisfied, Nicola Canali sought the support of the Vatican to remove the sovereign character of the Order of Malta and put it under the sole tutelage of the Holy See.

In 1949, when Azione Cattolica asked permission "to sell souvenirs in St Peter's Square", Nicola Canali refused and said that "St Peter's is a house of prayer".

Nicola Canali died from pneumonia in his Vatican apartment, at age 87.

Nicola Canali was buried in the church of S Onofrio al Gianicolo in Rome.