Roman Catholic Cardinal. A native of Nimis, Ildebrando Antoniutti was the sixth of seven children born to Giuseppe Antoniutti and Anna Comelli. Receiving his first education at the local elementary school, he entered seminary in Cividale, Friuli, where underwent studies in classics prior to moving to Udine's seminary, in order for his theological studies. Accompanying his Ordinary during the Great War in his frequent visits to military hospitals and parishes in occupied zones, in 1917, the day after the battle of Caporeto, he followed the Archbishop in the vicissitudes caused by the advance of the Austro-Hungarian troops. Sent to Rome in the beginning of November 1917, he furthered his studies at the Pontifical Roman Seminary and at the Pontifical Lateran University, earning doctorates in philosophy, theology and canon law. In his free time he assisted seminarians from Friuli who had escaped the war. Ordained priest on December 5, 1920 in Udine, by the local Ordinary, Msgr. Antonio Anastasio Rossi, the following year he was assigned to the teaching faculty of the seminary of Udine and appointed secretary to the Archbishop. Joining the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1927, he was named secretary of the apostolic delegation in China, later becoming its auditor and successively chargé d'affaires 'ad interim', Antoniutti later served as auditor of the nunciature in Portugal between 1934 and 1936. Elected archbishop of the titular see of Sinnada di Frigia and appointed apostolic delegate to Albania at the early age of thirty seven, he received his episcopal consecration on June 29, 1936 inside the chapel of the Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda Fide from Cardinal Pietro Fumasoni Biondi, prefect of Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Remaining in this position until August 1936, on July 25 of the following year, he was named special Papal envoy to Spain during the Civil War for the exchange of prisoners and to give aid escaped priests from Communist controlled zones. Named chargé d'affaires before the Nationalist government on the following September 21, he presented his credentials to General Francisco Franco on October 7 in Burgos. Appointed apostolic delegate in Canada and Newfoundland on July 14, 1938, and later apostolic nuncio in Spain on October 21, 1953, Pope John XXIII, created him cardinal priest in the consistory of March 19, 1962 with the title of San Sebastiano alle Catecombe. His successor, Pope Paul VI, named him prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious on July 26, 1963. Resigning the prefecture on September 13, 1973, he was appointed cardinal bishop of the suburbicarian see of Velletri on September 13, 1973, and named Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals. Once considered Papabile among the conservative factor of the Sacred College, on August 1, 1974 he left Rome to go to his native Nimis for a period of rest. After a stop in Florence, his car took the highway del Sole. On the bypass of Bologna, it collided with a heavy vehicle cause of which the Cardinal died almost instantly. Two days later, his body was transferred to Nimis, where the funeral, presided by Cardinal Ermenegildo Florit, Archbishop of Florence, was concelebrated by Cardinal Albino Luciani, Patriarch of Venice, nine bishops, numerous priests and a multitude of local faithful. His remains lie interred inside the parish church of Nimis. The stone over his sepulcher carries his coat of arms and the simple inscription: Ildebrandus Antoniutti - S.R.E. Cardinalis - 1898 - 1974.