Augusto Silj
{{Infobox Christian leader
|type = Cardinal
|honorific_prefix = His Eminence
|name = Augusto Silj
|title = Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
|church = Roman Catholic Church
|appointed = 30 March 1920
|term_end = 27 February 1926
|predecessor = Michele Lega
|successor = Francesco Ragonesi
|other_post = Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cecilia (1919–26)
|ordination = 4 April 1874
|ordained_by = Costantino Patrizi Naro
|consecration = 13 January 1907
|consecrated_by = Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta
|cardinal = 15 December 1919
|created_cardinal_by = Pope Benedict XV
|rank = Cardinal-Priest
|birth_name = Augusto Silj
|birth_date = 9 July 1846
|birth_place = Calcara di Visco, Norcia, Papal States
|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1926|02|27|1846|07|09}}
|death_place = Rome, Kingdom of Italy
|buried = Campo Verano
|previous_post = {{unbulleted list|Almoner of the Office of Papal Charities (1906–16)|Titular Archbishop of Caesarea Ponti (1906–19)|Vice-Camerlengo of the Apostolic Camera (1916–20)}}
|alma_mater = Pontifical Roman Seminary }}
{{infobox cardinalstyles|
cardinal name=Augusto Silj|
dipstyle=His Eminence|
offstyle=Your Eminence|
See=Cesarea in Mauretania (titular see)|}}
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).[https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1907-ii.htm Florida International University website, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Biographical Dictionary of Pope Pius X (1903-1914), Consistory of December 16, 1907 (IV)]
Early life and priesthood
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
He was appointed as titular archbishop of Caesarea in Mauretania by Pope Pius X on 26 December 1906.[https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1919.htm Florida International University website, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Biographical Dictionary of Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922), Consistory of December 15, 1919 (III)] 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
He was created Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere[https://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/SV1922.html California State University Northridge website, Sede Vacante 1922] by Pope Benedict XV in the consistory of 15 December 1919. Pope Benedict appointed him Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura 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.
References
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{{succession box |
before=Michele Lega |
title=Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura|
after=Francesco Ragonesi |
years=20 March 1920 – 26 February 1926}}
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{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Italy}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Silj, Augusto}}
Category:20th-century Italian cardinals
Category:Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XV
Category:Prefects of the Apostolic Signatura
Category:Pontifical Roman Seminary alumni
Category:20th-century Italian Roman Catholic titular archbishops