Jacopo Sadoleto facts for kids
Jacopo Sadoleto (born July 12, 1477 – died October 18, 1547) was an important Italian Catholic leader. He was known as a cardinal and a key figure in the Counter-Reformation. This was a time when the Catholic Church tried to respond to the rise of Protestantism. Sadoleto is remembered for his letters and disagreements with John Calvin, a major leader of the Protestant Reformation.
Life of Jacopo Sadoleto
Jacopo Sadoleto was born in Modena, Italy, in 1477. His father was a well-known lawyer. Jacopo himself became famous as a poet who wrote in Neo-Latin, which was a modern form of Latin. One of his most famous poems was about the ancient statue group called Laocoön.
While in Rome, Sadoleto gained the support of Cardinal Carafa. He decided to become a priest. Pope Leo X chose him to be his secretary, working alongside another famous writer, Pietro Bembo. In 1517, Sadoleto became the bishop of Carpentras, a city in France.
Sadoleto was a loyal helper to the papacy (the Pope and his government). He worked on many important negotiations for different popes. He was especially good at helping to make peace. His main goal was to try and bring Protestants back to the Catholic faith. He believed this could happen through peaceful talks. He also tried to explain Catholic teachings in a way that would encourage agreement.
Sadoleto did not spend much time in his diocese (the area he was bishop of) until Pope Leo X died in 1522. A year later, Pope Clement VII called him back to Rome. Sadoleto left Rome a few months before the city was attacked and looted. After that, he worked hard to lead his diocese, where people loved him very much.
Pope Paul III called him back to Rome again. In 1536, Sadoleto was made a cardinal. He was given the titular church of San Callisto.
In 1539, Cardinal Sadoleto wrote a letter to the people of Geneva, Switzerland. He urged them to return to the Catholic faith. John Calvin had been asked to leave Geneva the year before and was living in Strasbourg. However, the people of Geneva still asked Calvin to write a reply to Sadoleto's letter, which he did.
Sadoleto died in Rome in 1547 when he was 70 years old.
Works of Jacopo Sadoleto
Jacopo Sadoleto's collected writings were published in Mainz, Germany, in 1607. These works include his religious writings and a collection of his Epistles, which are formal letters. He also wrote a book about education, first published in 1533. Another important work was Phaedrus, written in 1538, which defended the study of philosophy. The best collection of his works was published in Verona, Italy, between 1737 and 1738. This collection also includes a biography written by Fiordibello.
