Born to the Italian nobility.
Ordained in 1878.
Papalnuncio to Spain.
Privy chamberlain.
Vatican Secretary of State in 1901.
Founded The Pious Society of Saint Jerome in 1901 to spread the Gospels among Italian-speaking Catholics.
Archbishop of Bologna in 1907.
Created cardinal in 1914 by Pope Saint Pius X.
Elected 258th pope in 1914 just after the start of World War I.
He maintained the Vatican as politically neutral throughout the war, working with both sides for peace, and supporting widows, orphans, the wounded, prisoners, and refugees.
Promulgated the new Code of Canon Law, established the Coptic College at Rome, and supported foreign missions.
Condemned modern secular philosophies.
![[photograph of Pope Benedict]](pope0258a.jpg "??kb jpg photograph of Pope Benedict XV, date unknown, photographer unknown; if you have information on this image, please contact me; please do not write to ask about the image")
