Roman Catholic Cardinal. Fagagna born Ermenegildo Florit came from a family of labourers, one of nine children. Entering seminary in Udine, he was ordained priest there on April 11, 1925. Archpriest of Palmanova in Friuli and chaplain of the local hospital, furthering his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Roman Seminary, the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Pontifical Lateran Athenaeum, he was a long-time member of the teaching faculty of the named Pontifical Lateran Athenaeum between 1929 and 1954, becoming ultimately dean of its theological faculty and vice-rector. Elected coadjutor of the archdiocese of Florence by Pope Pius XII, he received his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Geropoli di Siria on September 12, 1954 from Cardinal Clemente Micara at the Patriarchal Lateran Basilica in Rome. Succeeding to the metropolitan see on March 9, 1962 following the demise of Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa in December of the previous year, although he gave a strong impetus to the organization of his see, during his tenure Florit became the focus of controversy in particular after coming in conflict with Don Lorenzo Milani and Don Enzo Mazzi, two priests of his archdiocese, creating a rift that characterized the Florentine church life for decades. Pope Paul VI created him cardinal priest in the consistory of February 22, 1965 with the title of Regina Apostolorum. Retiring from the pastoral government of his see on June 3, 1977, he outlived his successor, Cardinal Giovanni Benelli, passing away due to kidney obstruction in Florence in December 1985. Authoring various works, Florit was a significant figure in the academic landscape of the ecclesiastical sciences. The division in his archdiocese however remained present for long, such that his last years were marred by deep solitude, lived by the Cardinal in silence and prayer.
Roman Catholic Cardinal. Fagagna born Ermenegildo Florit came from a family of labourers, one of nine children. Entering seminary in Udine, he was ordained priest there on April 11, 1925. Archpriest of Palmanova in Friuli and chaplain of the local hospital, furthering his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Roman Seminary, the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Pontifical Lateran Athenaeum, he was a long-time member of the teaching faculty of the named Pontifical Lateran Athenaeum between 1929 and 1954, becoming ultimately dean of its theological faculty and vice-rector. Elected coadjutor of the archdiocese of Florence by Pope Pius XII, he received his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Geropoli di Siria on September 12, 1954 from Cardinal Clemente Micara at the Patriarchal Lateran Basilica in Rome. Succeeding to the metropolitan see on March 9, 1962 following the demise of Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa in December of the previous year, although he gave a strong impetus to the organization of his see, during his tenure Florit became the focus of controversy in particular after coming in conflict with Don Lorenzo Milani and Don Enzo Mazzi, two priests of his archdiocese, creating a rift that characterized the Florentine church life for decades. Pope Paul VI created him cardinal priest in the consistory of February 22, 1965 with the title of Regina Apostolorum. Retiring from the pastoral government of his see on June 3, 1977, he outlived his successor, Cardinal Giovanni Benelli, passing away due to kidney obstruction in Florence in December 1985. Authoring various works, Florit was a significant figure in the academic landscape of the ecclesiastical sciences. The division in his archdiocese however remained present for long, such that his last years were marred by deep solitude, lived by the Cardinal in silence and prayer.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
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