Flavio Chigi

Flavio Chigi (Rome, 31 May 1810 – Rome, 15 February 1885) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal, Archbishop and Nuncio.

Biography Son of Agostino Chigi and Amalia Carlotta Barberini Colonna di Sciarra, Flavio Chigi belonged to the noble Roman Chigi family originating from Siena, which included among its illustrious ancestors: Pope Alexander VII, and several cardinals such as two of his namesakes Flavio Chigi (1631–1693), Flavio Chigi (1711–1771) and Sigismondo Chigi.

He studied with private tutors and later studied theology with the Jesuits in Tivoli. Initially initiated into a military career, he was enrolled in the Papal Noble Guard until 1848 and then ordained a priest on 17 December 1853 and became a canon of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, acquiring the title of Secret chamberlain of His Holiness.

From 1856 to 1861 he was Apostolic Nuncio to Bavaria and from 1861 to 1873 he was Apostolic Nuncio to France. In the same year, on 12 November, he became assistant to the Papal Throne.

During his nunciature in Bavaria he was also charged with administering the Apostolic Vicariate of Anhalt. It was he who organized the territory of this small Apostolic vicariate into four parishes.

Pope Pius IX elevated him to the rank of Cardinal in the consistory of 22 December 1873 and on 15 June 1874 he received the Titular church of Santa Maria del Popolo.