Roman Catholic Cardinal. Corteolona born Pietro Maffi entered seminary in Pavia and was ordained priest in 1881. Lecturing philosophy and sciences at the named seminary of which he ultimately became rector, he founded the meteorological observatory and museum of natural history of Pavia. Editor of the 'Rivista di Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche' and later its director until 1912, he served as pro-vicar general of Pavia and prosynodal examiner, receiving a doctorate 'honoris causa' from the theological college of Parma which furthermore named him member supernumerary of its scientific academy. Vicar general of Ravenna and prefect of studies of the local seminary, Pope Leo XIII elected him bishop of the titular see of Cesarea di Mauritania and appointed him auxiliary for the archdiocese of Ravenna on June 9, 1902, receiving his episcopal consecration two days later at the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura in Rome from Cardinal Lucido Maria Parocchi. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Pisa on June 22, 1903, he was named director and administrator of the Vatican Observatory on November 30 of the following year. Pope Pius X created him cardinal priest in the consistory of April 15, 1907 with the title of San Crisogono. Celebrating the marriage ceremony of Crown Prince Umberto of Italy and Princess Marie-Joseph of Belgium in 1930, being a close friend of the royal family, Maffi authored numerous works of high scientific level in astronomy, the best known being "Nei Cieli: Pagine di Astronomia Popolare" which counted nine editions and numerous reprints. Passing away in Pisa in 1931, he was laid to rest at the local metropolitan cathedral.
Roman Catholic Cardinal. Corteolona born Pietro Maffi entered seminary in Pavia and was ordained priest in 1881. Lecturing philosophy and sciences at the named seminary of which he ultimately became rector, he founded the meteorological observatory and museum of natural history of Pavia. Editor of the 'Rivista di Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche' and later its director until 1912, he served as pro-vicar general of Pavia and prosynodal examiner, receiving a doctorate 'honoris causa' from the theological college of Parma which furthermore named him member supernumerary of its scientific academy. Vicar general of Ravenna and prefect of studies of the local seminary, Pope Leo XIII elected him bishop of the titular see of Cesarea di Mauritania and appointed him auxiliary for the archdiocese of Ravenna on June 9, 1902, receiving his episcopal consecration two days later at the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura in Rome from Cardinal Lucido Maria Parocchi. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Pisa on June 22, 1903, he was named director and administrator of the Vatican Observatory on November 30 of the following year. Pope Pius X created him cardinal priest in the consistory of April 15, 1907 with the title of San Crisogono. Celebrating the marriage ceremony of Crown Prince Umberto of Italy and Princess Marie-Joseph of Belgium in 1930, being a close friend of the royal family, Maffi authored numerous works of high scientific level in astronomy, the best known being "Nei Cieli: Pagine di Astronomia Popolare" which counted nine editions and numerous reprints. Passing away in Pisa in 1931, he was laid to rest at the local metropolitan cathedral.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
Inscription
CARD. PETRVS MAFFI
ANTE · ARAM · CONDITVS
MVNIFICENTIA · SVA · MI
RE · EXORNATAM · RESVR
RECTIONEM · ESPECTAT
QVI · XXVII · ANN · PISA
RVM · ARCHIEPISCOPVS
DOCTRINA · PRAELCARVS
ET · MINISTERII · SVA
VITATE · IN · CHRISTI
PACE · REQVIEVIT · DIE
XVII · MARTII · MCMXXXI
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